


The Bricoleur

by FuwaFuwaMedb



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2019-09-24 05:18:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 100,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuwaFuwaMedb/pseuds/FuwaFuwaMedb
Summary: Every fight involves fire, internal or external, with enough heat and power to create anything. In last moments, it's this fire and strength that brings them into fruition. A last resort before death can claim its winnings. Now it is up to them to figure out how the fire came to be and who is trying to kill that which is theirs.





	1. Chapter 1

The fire began upstairs somewhere.  
  
Outsiders seeing the aftermath could only consider that perhaps there had been a candle or something that had been remaining lit. Perhaps she had left the fireplace on. It had been chilly outside. Or maybe, she had left something plugged in when she had taken a shower earlier in the evening.  
  
Still…  
  
Had she not found anything amiss? There would have been some kind of sound, wouldn’t there?  
  
If a candle had remained lit, it wouldn’t have been lit anywhere near something flammable. What’s more, it would have needed to be acted upon to set fire to anything around it.  
  
Fireplaces- well, she wasn’t one to bother with lighting a fire in the fireplaces. Not since she had lost her servant at any rate. She didn’t have any firewood nor a vehicle to have it brought to the house. Having a fire in the fireplace would require something to burn and she lacked any wood or kindling.  
  
No, Rin would never have a house fire occur naturally.  
  
The house had been silent when she had climbed into bed. Her fatigue had been prolonged through the usual checks of the doors and the windows, anything with a lock through which someone could come through; it all had been looked at. Inspected even. She didn’t trust simple locks and closed barriers to keep the outside world at bay.  
  
Newspapers and the internet made the world a more foreboding place in this day and age.  
  
But everything had been fine.  
  
She had wandered up the stairs, holding her nightgown in one hand for better mobility as she had opened the door to her room and climbed into bed. Silken sheets had greeted her face. Cool, fresh sheets had met her body. They cocooned her in their loving embrace, accepting her with an indifference attitude most welcomed after a long day of studying and traveling around with Shirou and Saber. She had become annoyed with a blonde woman during the day that had been trying to chat up Shirou while Saber had been using the restroom. Dealing with that had only created the headache that had splintered into a migraine as the day had worn on.  
  
Eyes closing, it didn’t take long for the embrace and fatigue to get the best of her.  
  
And it hadn’t taken long for the flames to awaken her.  
  
A flicker had moved in front of her face. The flicker caught the curtains, the carpeting around the bed, and then it was moving up the canopy curtains. She opened her eyes to a rapid moving set of flames. Smoke surrounded her, somehow held back ever so slightly by the fan on the ceiling.  
  
The flames were moving too fast to escape the bed. Even if she did, there was no chance of making it to an exit. The windows and the door were all burning. Glass fractured, bursting as she glanced in the window’s direction. Heat and smoke billowed around the bed. Moving, the hem of her nightgown caught fire, bringing a string of curses to her lips.  
  
Rin stopped thinking as the fire slowly began to burn her ankles.  
  
She had to escape. There was no question about that. Her fingers reached over the flames, her arm burning and melting against the flames near the headboard to grab the gems from the nightstand. Immense pain was slamming home, incomparable to anything she had ever experienced.  
  
The canopy shuddered a moment before Rin looked up. The whole thing gave another shudder before Rin felt the ground beneath the bed give way. Without thinking, she dove for the edge of the bed, but her body slammed against the breaking floorboards and burning carpet and she dropped onto the floor below.  
  
Perhaps she screamed. It would make sense.  
  
Anyone would scream in this situation.  
  
She couldn’t think through the clogged throat and the shock. Her arms were both blackened at this point. Her legs, what little she could see of them, were buried under debris.  
  
Her gems had vanished. Somewhere between the two floors, they were now missing. Useless to her.  
  
Her mind thought to the first servant she had owned. He had shown up in time to save her from the grail and from a thousand and some curses. He had shown up whenever he had been needed-  
  
Summoning. She needed to summon him. Her hand pressed against her arm, ignoring the fact that her sight went to white for an entire moment. Her fingers were tinged in red and black. Soot and blood. She began to trace the circle.  
  
Confidence and elegance.  
  
She could hold herself together long enough for a summoning. It was her only hope.  
  
No one was close enough to help. No one would notice the house on fire so early in the morning. Curfew was something in her neighborhood that was taken very seriously. By the time help did arrive, she would have burned alive.  
  
No.  
  
No matter what happened, she wouldn’t let herself be burned alive.  
  
Rin tried to move her legs, trying to get into a new position for summoning, but her legs wouldn’t move. She couldn’t feel them anymore.  
  
Holding back something very much like tears, Rin risked a glance down. The extra pain hadn’t been her imagination. Something heavy had fallen onto her legs. Something very heavy and very much burning. Her nightgown, what tatters it was in, was now burning again.  
  
Looking back at the circle, she drew the last few lines and closed her eyes.  
  
She needed Archer.  
  
God, she needed Lancer. Lancer had known runes to make fire. He should know runes to make them stop.  
  
The man had saved her from a fate worse than death before.  
  
Thinking of the blue attired man, Rin pressed her face against the circle, feeling the last of her mana seeping into her summoning. She only had one chance at this. If she failed, then this would be it.  
  
A poor child left in a family home, burned alive because of reasons unknown. They would make it out to be something innocuous. She had left candles or something on. They had caught fire and set the whole house ablaze.  
  
There would be no funeral-  
  
The mantra came out faster from her lips, her hand reaching down to go beneath the fallen debris to her legs. She needed the mana from the circuits trapped beneath. She could feel the burned skin, sticking to her fingers. It was all she could do not to scream.  
  
But no, she could maintain just a bit more control.  
  
For just a moment longer. Once they were here, she could let go. She could hold onto a servant and let them do the heavy lifting.  
  
But she needed someone with magic experience. Archer would never do.  
  
Lancer was her best shot. Or like a caster lancer. Jesus, she’d take a damn berserker if it could lose control and bust her out of the house.  
  
The circle at her fingertips began to expand, blowing back the smoke and flames. A shape emerged from within its center, separating and converging. Rin could only lay there, feeling the last of her energy leaving her as a face formed from the center of the darkness.  
  
A long spear lunged towards her, slamming against the object holding her down.  
  
Piercing red eyes gazed directly into hers, holding her attention as another three shapes moved around behind the man.  
  
“Master.”  
  
It was said like a prayer, recited in the most intimate of settings. Murmured like the most cherished and valuable of items. It brought tears to her eyes to hear a voice amongst all the pain and fire.  
  
A set of hands wrapped around her body before something flickered in front of her eyes. Something dark, swishing before her. She couldn’t see around it. She couldn’t focus enough to see much of anything to be honest. The grip on her was gone as she felt part of her body throb once again.  
  
“What the hell is this?”  
  
“Her body’s burned. Severely.”  
  
“A caster? Gross.”  
  
“Can we get the little miss out? She’s gonna die if we don’t do something. I’d rather not have my master die, if it’s all the same to you lot.”  
  
“Where’s the opponent?”  
  
“Alright, hold on, ya shits. There’s four of us and one of her…” Rin strained to hear anything, finding sight gone. Listening was all that could be done to bear with the pain. “You’re a caster? Celtic runes?”  
  
“The only kind worth a damn.”  
  
“You’re on body repair. Tail boy,”  
  
“I’m not-“  
  
“Don’t care,” the bossing voice replied. “Blow me a way out. Take the kid with ya.”  
  
“I’m not a kid!”  
  
“You’re younger lookin’ than me. While Caster boy and I carry the lass out, you both are gonna blow us a way out of this hell hole.”  
  
Rin forced herself. Feeling the first reprieve from the pain settling in, she managed to open her eyes once more, looking up into those same red eyes from before. They were closer, tinged with something as the flames around them made the crimson color dance before her eyes.  
  
“You’re lookin’ in a bad way, Rin.”  
  
She opened her mouth.  
  
“Don’t. It’s gonna be a damn miracle to bring your damn body back from this. What the hell kinda summoning did you do anyway? You’ve got four of my damn self here.”  
  
Four of him?  
  
“Yeah,” he replied, clearly hearing her croak something like that question out. “We’ll talk about this later. Rest, Master. I’ll protect ya.”  
  
It was hard to argue when her body agreed with his demands one hundred percent. Her eyes closed and the world slipped away.  
  
And, as commanded, Rin rested.


	2. Chapter 2

“Alright.” Cu Chulainn looked around, unable to deny what was in front of him. Hard to, when the evidence was blatantly obvious.  
  
He had been summoned. Four times total. At once. As different classes…  
  
“Do you think we’ll need to find someone who can take care of her wounds properly?” The younger looking him asked.  
  
“You doubting me, kid?”  
  
Caster him had an attitude, one he was very much enjoying as the kid backed off and ran a hand through his bangs.  
  
“You’re all assholes. Just been summoned and all you guys can do is insult me. I hope our master takes a particular liking to me so you all can suck my dick.”  
  
Berserker him moved forward, looking down at the charred remains of their master and bending down to survey the damage closer. The Caster followed close behind.  
  
“It’s bad,” Caster remarked.  
  
“Obviously,” the darkened version of them replied. His eyes flickered over to the Caster. “What are your plans for recovery?”  
  
The other scoffed. “She needs rest, at least a half dozen herbs that I don’t have here, a half dozen runes put on her once we manage to repair the skin damage, and- I’m pretty sure I’m seeing the bones in both her arms.”  
  
“You are.”  
  
Did they see his tongue run over his lips? Lancer grimaced at the man.  
  
Caster leaned back, taking a deep breath as he looked away. “I was afraid of that. I think I’m gonna hurl.”  
  
Berserker pat him on the back, glancing in the true him’s direction. “What’s the plan, Bossy shit?”  
  
Lancer crossed his arms, looking over them all.  
  
“The whole damn city’s ours, boys. I think it’s obvious. First of all, we’re all gonna need names.”  
  
“My name is Cu Chulainn,” Caster spoke up.  
  
The others mimicked the name before Lancer sighed.  
  
“Alright, ya shits. I think it’s safe to say that none of us can go by that name at this point in time. We’re all clearly the same person. So-“ He motioned at Berserker. “We’ll start with class. You’re Berserker from here on out.” He pointed at Caster next, “You’re Caster. Simple. Easy. I don’t think anyone will question who we’re talking to if we go by those names for you two.”  
  
“And I’m Lancer.” The slightly younger him just grinned.  
  
“I was summoned twice as a bloody lancer?”  
  
“We can call you boss, since you seem to take great pleasure in bossing us around,” Caster pointed out.  
  
“I’m fine with that,” Berserker agreed.  
  
“We’ll let our master decide when she gets up what I get to be called.” The last thing he wanted to do was be called bossy around their master. Finally, he had gotten a decent master and he wasn’t going to have anyone, even himself, messing it up.  
  
“I’ll go by Cu Chulainn then, you can go by Lancer,” kid him offered.  
  
Berserker interrupted the fight swelling up with a hand in the air. “You’re both annoying. Bossy Cu, you’ll go by Cu Chulainn or Lancer. You seem like a yipping hound anyway. Little Cu, you can go by prototype. You’re like an original one of us before we wandered into different classes. You’re an original of sorts.”  
“The original…” The boy hummed, grinning to himself. “I like it.”  
  
“Fine,” Lancer agreed. Anything was better than Bossy.  
  
Berserker nodded, standing up. “Our master needs relocating before our enemies get close. I can’t sense whomever started this fire, but I sense mana remnants. Someone tried to kill our master and, personally, I wouldn’t give a shit, but since Rune boy- Caster,” he amended, catching some kind of look on Caster’s face, “thinks she’s worth a damn, I’ll go with it.”  
  
“Prototype, you and Berserker need to go get whatever damn herbs Caster was talking about,” Lancer ordered.  
  
“Right!”  
  
Berserker nodded.  
  
“Caster, tell them what they need and then we’re going to work on moving our master.”  
  
“Do you have a place in mind?” Caster asked.  
  
“I do. It won’t be great. I don’t know how long it’s been since the little master was in the war, but I know a place that isn’t terribly far that we can go to for her to be able to recover. We can take the whole damn place over and make it our own. No one would think to look for her there.”  
  
“What kind of herbs do you need?” Prototype asked Caster.  
  
“I need as many comfrey leaves, calendula flowers, and a few other items as you can manage to get.” The man hummed a moment, adjusting his jacket as he thought. “Lancer, I think I will have to go with them. There’s too many items.”  
  
“I need you working on Rin.”  
  
“I can do that,” Berserker supplied.  
  
“Do you have experience with wounds?”  
  
Shrugging, Berserker moved closer to their master and began to trace around her. The ground around her body lifted, leaving her in the air. Untouched yet movable. Just the way they would need to move her.  
  
“I know enough runecraft to manage. Caster has healed enough that she won’t bleed out. With that, I can keep her in suspension until Caster has things ready.”  
  
Lancer sighed. “Fine. Caster. Prototype. Go out into the city and find as much shit as you need. Steal, lie, kill- I don’t care so long as you don’t bring trouble home to our master.”  
  
“Technically, we can’t bring any problems home. She doesn’t have a home,” Proto teased.  
  
They all paused at that. Had he just- and right when they were in need of saving their master?  
  
Caster and Lancer traded looks, wincing at the words. Berserker’s gaze darkened, his movements quick as he made his way to the boy and landed a solid punch to his gut. The kid was down before he could see the man coming. “That was a shit joke and you’re a shit kid, Prototype. Get the hell out of my sight before I show you what kind of noble phantasm you’re capable of if you become a berserker like myself. Take Caster with you.”  
  
The two were gone, disappearing with a light gust of wind.  
  
Which left them with two.  
  
Lancer glanced at his berserker self, watching the tail swish back and forth on the ground. Honestly, he would have preferred to remain with the Caster, knowing that the man could manage to put up barriers and a myriad of other things once they reached the Einsbern manor.  
  
The beast of a man glanced his way, rolling his shoulders. “Well? You’re the one who took control of things. Lead me and the little master towards home. I’m looking forward to resting before a good fight.”  
  
He led them.  
  
Lacking any retort for the man, Lancer found himself leading the way, watching their surroundings for any signs of viewers or trouble. He could sense the man behind him doing the same. With the woman’s body between them, they found themselves avoiding the streetlights, ducking behind alleyways and buildings as they reached the outskirts of the city and moved into the woods.  
  
Deeper and deeper into the woods, until the darkness swirled with a thousand shades of nothingness. Until all that was left were the animals’ eyes and those few sounds that dared to raise themselves over the loudness of a soft murmur.  
  
The wind itself seemed to avoid their presence, remaining still and silent.  
  
The manor, as they approached it, remained covered in ivy. Forgotten and cast aside by society. It would seem that time had passed long enough for the world.  
  
Berserker looked up at the place, settling his hands on his hips and nodding. The razor sharp teeth showed fully with his grin as he looked at Lancer. “Good place. Isolated. Dark. We’ll have Caster build a barrier and Proto take care of this nonsense on the place. We can keep master in the center of the place. I think the basement would be-“  
  
“Anywhere but the basement.”  
  
“The basement is low access-“  
  
“Our master was trapped in the basement.”  
  
Berserker nodded. “It’s a good place. Isolated and impossible to reach.”  
  
“She was almost taken in that basement.”  
  
“Again,” Berserker replied. “It’s a good location for not being caught.”  
  
Lancer pulled the slab of floating earth holding their master forward. “We’ll keep her in the master bedroom.”  
  
“The basement is smarter.”  
  
“And when our master panics due to memories?”  
  
Berserker shrugged. “Humans are far too attached to their emotions.”  
  
He groaned, pushing their master in and letting the madman walk around him into the building. The severe damage had been restricted to the basement area obviously. Aside from the crater in the center of the floor, there weren’t any signs of previous violence in the building.  
  
“I don’t know about the foundation,” Cu mentioned, looking towards Berserker.  
  
“Do you know of other places advantageous like this?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Berserker nodded. “I’ll look at the foundation while you find your master room for our master. You can take her with you in case I need to get some work down below.”  
  
He nodded, watching the other prowl away. His tail wrapped around the handle of a door nearby, shutting it behind him before Lancer looked at their master.  
  
From his memories, he knew her silhouette by heart. He knew the creamy expanse of skin and her every expression. He knew the way her eyes narrowed as she was teased and the way her cheeks grew rosy at things becoming too personal. Memories of her had been the balm to eternity. She had been a prize he had enjoyed overseeing immensely.  
  
However, the woman before him was beaten and tattered. Her arms were blackened from fire and her legs were broken. Had she been awake, she would have been screaming. Or should have been- She had been holding herself back the entire time. Despite her legs being broken and her body bleeding from the inside out, she had held herself together long enough to summon himself and his other halves and speak to them.  
  
Speak, not scream.  
  
Her face was singed, making him wince as he brushed a small amount of hair from her face.  
  
“Ah, master… You should have summoned us sooner.”  
  
Should have summoned him sooner, quite honestly. He didn’t necessarily like the fact that there were another three of him to deal with, but they would disappear soon enough. Their master would settle for him and that would be that.  
  
Caster and Prototype appeared about an hour after he found a suitable room. Suitable was in terms of perception. With the busted window and the humid air, it was questionable in and of itself, but it beat the other rooms with their mold issues and leaking ceilings. Lancer made do with it at any rate, wiping down everything with a rag from another room and beginning to place runes down in places that looked unstable. As the two entered the room, Prototype looked around and whistled. His armload was quickly stolen away by Caster as the sensible man hurried to Rin’s side and began to work.  
  
“He complains a lot,” Proto murmured to him as Lancer watched from nearby.  
  
“Did you find everything?”  
  
The boy nodded. “Yeah, believe it or not, we’re as capable as you are.”  
  
“I didn’t have doubt of that. You’re me after all. I think I’m more than capable than most.”  
  
“See, I like that.” Proto grinned. “Not too damn hard to compliment yourself, is it? Caster was whining the whole time about master summoning us to a fire and leaving us to take care of her like this. She couldn’t have summoned us sooner? She couldn’t have said directions or decided on a leader before going unconscious? I’m like- I don’t think Berserker cares at all who leads as long as he gets to fight and I don’t think Caster is much of a leader. Now, you and I-“  
  
Lancer toned him out, watching Caster beginning to blend the herbs at hand and murmur to their master. His hands glowed as he worked, his eyes focused solely on their little master.  
  
“How bad, Caster?”  
  
“It’s bad enough,” the man replied, his brows furrowing as he forced his head closer to his work.  
  
Ignoring the kid, Lancer moved closer. “What can I do?”  
  
“You can take the brat and go help Berserker with whatever the hell he’s doing, I guess.” The man looked away from his mixtures. “This isn’t going to be an overnight kind of thing. This will take time. Days. She should be dead. I think she’s very close right now, to be quite honest. Our last minute runes and intervention saved her life, but that life is right now very thin. I’ve put runes in place so she doesn’t have to be conscious for the brunt of the pain, but it’ll take time to get her body to where it was before the fire.”  
  
“Do you think she’ll be able to continue to supply us with mana?”  
  
Proto paused in whatever the hell he was angry about. No doubt them not listening to him. At hearing the concern that had plagued the back of Lancer’s thoughts, he moved forward, listening.  
Caster nodded. “We should be fine. She tore open the circuits in her legs or something very close to that to supply us all with mana. As a result, I’m going to be having a good few days to repair that damage, but it did provide us with time to heal her. We have more mana than most second rate magus. So long as we don’t go using our noble phantasms repeatedly for days on end, we should have enough to see our little master through her time of healing and then some.”  
  
“Good.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s damn good.” Proto beamed. “I just know how to choose good masters. My luck’s finally turning around. Soon as we get her back up and walking, I wanna learn more about our master. Maybe she can get rid of the spares while we’re at it-“  
  
Lancer smacked him, lacking the time and energy to really do much else. “If you’ve got time to run your mouth, kid, why don’t you help Berserker check the foundations. There was a fire here when I was summoned last and I don’t know what the foundations in the rest of the building look like.”  
  
Caster looked towards the windows. “When that’s done, we need to put a barrier in place around the house. Something strong enough to repel anyone who would wish our master ill. While we have mana to support us, the mana depends on our master being alive, however little that is.”  
  
“Foundation support and a barrier. That’s easy enough,” Proto rolled his shoulders, grinning. “I’m liking this more and more each minute. Finally, a good fight.”  
  
Lancer could only exchange a look with Caster as the boy ran off.  
  
“I know he ain’t a kid, but he’s very childish,” Caster remarked.  
  
“He’s pissing me off.”  
  
“I think he may piss off Berserker if we leave them alone together for too long.”  
  
“I think they could use the fight against one another, so long as they don’t manage to use up master’s mana.”  
  
Caster nodded, turning his gaze back to their master. His fingers stroked along her cheek. “She’s so very young. I can’t imagine what kind of pain she must have been in when she completed the summoning. To have summoned four servants-“  
  
“One. Technically it was one servant. She just summoned us in four forms rather than one.” How she had managed that-  
  
“It’s still quite astounding. I will be interested in knowing how she set up the circle and completed that. It might be useful to know in case one of our opponents did the same thing.”  
  
“Most people would fight with themselves though,” Lancer pointed out.  
  
“We have purpose. No need to fight when there’s shit to be done.”  
  
He was more of an in the moment kind of person. Planning was for other people, namely the little master next to them and servants like that red archer.  
  
Caster gathered a handsome amount of salve into his hands, beginning the slow process of coating their master’s left arm. Lancer, seeing him work for a moment, followed suit with her right arm.  
  
“You were summoned here before? Recently, according to their timeline?”  
  
“I was.”  
  
“What do I need to know about this land and time?”  
  
“Not much,” Lancer replied easily, shrugging lightly. “The master here was the master to an archer during that time. I saved her from him when the ass betrayed her and tied her up in the basement.”  
  
“Ah- so that’s why we’re in a bedroom. Berserker wasn’t pleased with the choice.”  
  
“He wasn’t,” he agreed. “I set the basement on fire, but the house is intact. No doubt some kind of magecraft protected it.”  
  
“Or your rune choice was subpar… Go on,” the man prompted after seeing the glare on Lancer’s face. “You said she was tied up. She escaped obviously.”  
  
“She did. I don’t know what happened after that since my master took the liberty of ordering me to stab myself with Gae Bolg.”  
  
“Right through the heart?”  
  
“Every damn time.”  
  
Caster winced, nodding. “Don’t have that problem when you don’t use Gae Bolg anymore. Runes are easier.”  
  
“Until your master orders you to use runes to kill yourself. Kill yourself is a simple command to give, especially for a master.”  
  
The man nodded, moving his attention to the burned skin on their master’s chest. His touch, light and careful, was something that Lancer hesitated a moment before mimicking.  
  
“She’s strong at least,” Lancer supplied. “A first rate mage from a long line of them. Her speciality is in gem magic from what I’ve seen, although she learns and adapts as necessary. She’s one of those planning types.”  
  
“That’s good.” Caster looked up at him, smiling slightly. “We can work with that. The lot of us being action oriented, it’ll be good to have someone in the lead who can think through those details.”  
  
“It’s the details that always get us in the end, isn’t it?”  
  
If he had thought ahead, Lancer would probably have seen through the priest’s actions. He probably would have tried to get himself free like Archer did, find Rin to make her his master, stop the course of the war before it had reached the point that it had. He could have probably done so many things different if he hadn’t just followed ordered and lived for the actions.  
  
“My last master summoned me and had me fight the front lines.” Caster commented, beginning to trace runes across their master’s body now. He took a moment, murmuring whatever incantations were needed, lighting their master with a light that could only come from the runes from the depths of their homeland. Circling runes, like the stones that had heralded the ends of wars and the proficiency of the most skilled of warriors. They buried themselves into her skin, bringing up tar and muck, toxins from the smoke and damage that had been done to her.  
  
It was the second time he had seen such actions occur. The first time being long ago with Scathach, the master whom had taught them to use Gae Bolg. She had used the runes after his first fight with the lance. He remembered seeing them in his mind’s eye, as though floating in the heavens like stars.  
  
Hours had passed like seconds, days like minutes. He had been unable to move through the pain of what his weapon had done to his body. The wounds he had sustained had been unlike anything he had ever felt.  
  
“Those runes,” Lancer murmured. “They’re Scathach’s work.”  
  
“A bit before her time, actually,” Caster replied, letting the winding runes settle along Rin’s skin. “They’re effective though. They empower the body to repel what damage has been sustained and encourage a strengthening that’s beyond human. With them in place, our master will heal and be stronger. I’m hoping it quickens the process as well.”  
  
“We have time for her to heel.”  
  
“We do, but do our enemies have that patience, Lancer?” The man looked over at him, his gaze narrowed. “How long do we get to allow her to heal? A day? A week? They may think that she’s dead, but a body not being in the remnants of the house will result in them hunting again.”  
  
“There’s four of us to protect her.”  
  
“I don’t intend to babysit and neither do the rest of us. We’re summoned to fight, Lancer.” Caster shook his head as he pulled the rag from nearby into his hands and began to wipe off the salve. “Whether or not we like it, that’s what we do. Our master can leave you in charge momentarily, but she will need to lead soon.”  
  
“What are your thoughts on her?”  
  
“Me?” Caster glanced at the woman carefully, taking his time to look her over. A slow grin formed on his face. “She’s perfect. Head to toe. Someone competent in magecraft, willing to use any means necessary to win and survive. She has all the makings of someone we would have chased to the ends of the earth and we both know it. When she wakes up, I’ll be interested in having conversation with her.”  
  
“Conversations?”  
  
“To start.” The man grinned more, sharing the same kind of shit eating grin that Proto had shown several times already. “Can’t promise what will happen from there. I get to see what happens when our little lady doesn’t have burns and wounds covering her body. From what I’ve seen, the results look promising.”  
  
Lancer snorted, looking at their master. He needed her covered up. Soon. The four of them hovering around Rin wasn’t going to work out well in the long run. Each of them had their own needs, their own urges.  
  
Someone coughed nearby, drawing both his and Caster’s attention to the doorway.  
  
“The foundation wasn’t very sound, like you mentioned when we got here. Proto and I have finished with the bottom floors. He’s now stalking the perimeter to look for any signs of previous runes.”  
  
“The boy’s knowledge of runes is second rate,” Caster argued.  
  
Berserker nodded, grinning a fang-showing smile, “I already checked it before I got started. The kid’s just pissing me off so he deserves to wander around in the dark until I decide he’s checked long enough.”  
  
“You know he’s us, right?” Caster frowned at him, at them both now that Lancer was shrugging it off. “He’s going to realize that you’re sending him to do things just for the excuse to not kill him. Then when he wants to fight you-“  
  
“I guess we won’t have a past self.”  
  
“Dumbass,” Caster crossed his arms. “If you both get in a fight-“  
  
“How is master?” Berserker waltzed over, for lack of better phrasing. His feet clicked against the floor, tail swishing around behind him as he looked at Rin. Those red eyes darkened, studying the work that they had done over the past few minutes.  
  
“She’s healing. She needs time.”  
  
“She’s healing fast.”  
  
“My craft is unparalleled,” Caster told him, grinning.  
  
“It’s very good.” The monster of a person agreed, his attention grew closer to the woman, the sound of him smelling the woman echoing in the quiet room. “Smells a lot less like death now.”  
  
Creepy.  
  
Caster leaned forward, looking at the other man as he tried to smell what the other was smelling. Judging by the deepening scowl, it was apparent that he wasn’t getting the same kind of feedback scent-wise that Berserker was getting.  
  
“I can smell it.” Berserker pat Caster on the head lightly. “It’s something I’ve come to know quite well, actually. Death, blood, mutilation; it all has smells like everything in your happy little worlds. Once you watch enough people fall to your knees and lose their heads and arms, you come to know who’s close to death and who isn’t. Master should be fine.”  
  
“Do you think you could explain what you smell?”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“I’ve never heard of anyone smelling death. I have to use runes to do anything even close and even when I do use them, it doesn’t tell me what your nose has just told you.”  
  
The man shrugged. “Save master. If she’s up within the next week, I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”  
  
Caster beamed, looking at their master again for a moment as he shuffled on his feet. “I… I need to prepare a barrier around our haven. Berserker. Lancer. Watch master while I work. Just try not to touch her for now though. The runes and the salve need to work together to repair what’s been done. I’ll come to check on her after I’m done.”  
  
He was rushing out, sprinting down the hall with his tattered coat billowing out behind him.  
  
“He’s as childish as Prototype.”  
  
Lancer nodded. “He is.”  
  
“Interesting at least.” Berserker looked down at the master again before yanking a chair over to the bed. “Our master would be better suited to a basement.”  
  
“She won’t appreciate that.”  
  
The man rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and leaning on the edge of the bed. He licked at some of the salve on one of her arms. “While his work is good, it’s all basic magic. Caster needs to work harder. At this rate, it’ll take ages for our master to awaken.”  
  
“He has his reasons.”  
  
“I don’t do reasons. I need our master up. Working.”  
  
“I just need you ready to kill our master’s enemies when they appear.”  
  
“I plan on it.” Berserker’s teeth glinted in the darkness. “We’re going to be very intimate by the time I’m through with them. It’ll be a shame that you three won’t have the opportunity to see who they are. I intend to dine on their organs and string their bones up along the perimeter. I’ll use their skulls for our master’s dining table.”  
  
“Our master is not like that. Somehow I doubt she’ll approve of having skulls for her teacups.”  
  
The man just watched him, tail moving silently and slowly from side to side. “Has she used a skull for a cup before? The lack of experience could explain why she is not interested in such things. The first kill is always the hardest.”  
  
“You’re nothing like the other three of us, are you?”  
  
The beast cracked his neck, those eyes never leaving him for a moment. Each movement was so relaxed, impersonal, as though he were merely talking about the weather rather than death. A silent warning was ringing in Lancer’s ears as he watched the man.  
  
“Well?”  
  
“I suppose I’m not. I won’t pretend to follow the codes and guidelines that you lot follow. I won’t pretend to feel remorse for that either. Your morals and ethics are overstated and underappreciated. Liberating myself of the world’s expectations and standards for me was the most worthwhile venture I have gone through.”  
  
“Your master isn’t like that.”  
  
Those eyes narrowed, smile almost condescending now. “Ah yes, you know our master so well. Precious Lancer, but I couldn’t help but notice the rune written into the floor of the basement. I’m guessing she sacrificed you… Or perhaps you sacrificed yourself? Surrendering the grail and our master’s wish for what?”  
  
“She was not my master before.”  
  
“Then you were summoned and found her to be better. Were you that incapable of killing your master and demanding better?”  
  
“Don’t pretend to know how to win a war,” Lancer growled.  
  
“You stay here, clinging to master’s arm like a lost child, no better than Prototype. Yet, you lack the capabilities it would take to make master yours in the last war.”  
  
“She summoned us all because of me.” Moving forward, Lancer leaned over the woman to glower now, his arms shaking. “Me. She found us to be the most worthwhile because of my choices and sacrifice. If any of us has the rights to remain at our master’s side and in her arms, it will be mine alone.”  
  
“Prototype will not like hearing such things. He’s smitten.”  
  
“And you?”  
  
The man scoffed. “I don’t care one way or another. Master is ours, but if you would like to seek further comfort in her arms, then so be it. Increase the mana output for us all.”  
  
“I need her healed.”  
  
“Something our brother Caster is doing so well,” Berserker purred. “While you fancy yourself to be master’s toy, I’m rather interested in learning about our rune loving friend. So long as in the end, you share master as needed, I can amuse myself with our other companions… aside from the boy. I’ll leave you both to sort your emotions out as necessary.”  
  
Prototype wouldn’t be an issue. Young and battle ready as he was, it would be little work to keep him away from master. Lancer looked down, watching the steady breathing of their master.  
  
“Do you have something on your mind, Lancer?”  
  
“I want you to push Caster into whatever runes he can think of to heal our master quicker.”  
  
“Do you trust me?”  
  
“Not a bit.” Lancer looked at the man again. “But we want the same thing right now. I believe you’ll work with me on this.”  
  
“I know runes.”  
  
“Caster has already begun the healing process.”  
  
“My rune knowledge is different. Derived from other sources.”  
  
“I won’t allow you to curse our master.”  
  
“Not curse.” Berserker smiled. “I simply would be using certain things that would otherwise kill to allow our master to heal. Without the scars, I might add. Caster cannot promise such things.”  
  
“That kind of work is not without punishment.”  
  
“Do you think I care about what tolls I must pay for what I want? What we want?” Berserker bit his finger, the sound of it cracking echoing in the room a moment before he used his other hand to wipe at the blood pooling from the dangling digit.  
  
“Berserker…”  
  
“Caster is healing her mind, but letting her body heal at a slower rate.” He moved his finger lightly over the salve, closing his eyes as he began to chant. His work was different, repeating words at times in a tongue that even he himself didn’t know. But the words brought a chill to his bones. It rattled at the windows until the windows flew open. Mana poured into the room from the wilderness outside. The world around the manor went deathly silent.  
  
Their master back arched, eyes shooting open a moment as the man traced his fingers down her body.  
  
Lancer watched, his gaze flickering between the two as Berserker went on.  
  
The mana continued to flow in, surrounding them before moving into Rin’s person.  
  
So much power…  
  
It was almost applaudable, if he knew where it was coming from. This much energy was not created from nothing. It had to come from somewhere. That meant it was being robbed. Beings were dying for the sake of vanity.  
  
Yet he was doing nothing.  
  
Their master needed it to heal after all.  
  
“STOP!” Caster threw the door open, screaming over the wind and the chanting. “STOP THIS INSTANT!”  
  
Berserker murmured one last bit before Rin’s body drifted slowly back into rest. Her eyes closed once again before her head tilted. The burns and blood were healed and dry. Her breathing was regulated once again.  
  
“What did you do?!” The man rushed to Rin’s side, looking her over in horror. “What did the two of you do?!”  
  
“Nothing that didn’t need to be done.” Berserker looked towards the outdoors. “You need to finish the barrier.”  
  
“I need to find out what you’ve done. Our master-“  
  
“Is healed much more thanks to my work. Finish the barrier, Skirts.”  
  
Caster growled at him, lacking a response. He turned to Lancer. “You let him touch our master like that? You let him do this!”  
  
“His rune knowledge-“  
  
“Could have easily killed her. My runes are very particular!”  
  
“They’re compatible. I recognize a portion of them.”  
  
“And the ones you don’t recognize?!”  
  
Berserker shrugged.  
  
“Out.” Caster clapped at them both with his gloved hands. “I want both of you out of my master’s rooms. Find yourselves places elsewhere and stay. I won’t allow our master to be experimented upon like some kind of-“  
  
Rin’s hand reached out, slowly grabbing ahold of Caster’s jacket.  
  
The room went silent, watching those eyes drift open.  
  
“…Lan…cer...”  
  
“She needs water.” Lancer breathed, pushing Caster aside as the man stared at their master. He yanked a blanket over her lower half. “Something to wipe all this blood and salve off too. Caster. Berserker.”  
  
The two nodded, Caster’s person remaining still for a moment as he looked into their master’s eyes. The man rubbed his hands together lightly, holding them carefully.  
  
Lancer leaned forward, pressing his lips to the woman’s forehead.  
  
Her face flushed, stopping Berserker as the man returned with a bowl of water and a fascinated Prototype holding rags from another room in hand.  
  
“Master’s-“  
  
Lancer waved for silence, smiling at the woman. “Rin.”  
  
“So… tired…”  
  
“You nearly burned alive and have slept for hours. You know it’s almost sunrise now?”  
  
“…It hurts,” she complained.  
  
“It’s the wounds. They’re still existing internally,” Caster piped up, before Prototype waved him off.  
  
“Enough, let her have some air.”  
  
Lancer felt himself being tugged back only for Proto to lean over her now, beaming.  
  
“Hello, little master. You’re such a cute lass, sleeping away like some kind of court noble. I should be finding some kinda bard to regale you to sleep, but they’re all overrated in general.”  
  
“…Two?”  
  
“Ah- You must not remember summoning the four of us.” Proto grinned more, kissing her lightly on the nose. A growl seemed to echo around the kid as he laughed, leaning back to let the woman look around a bit more. “You summoned your servant four times in three classes. Allow me to introduce us. I am Cu Chulainn… and I suppose these three are my futures.” He motioned at the three others before shaking his head. “Well, I mean- options for futures. I think you give me a fourth option though, if I do say so myself.”  
  
Rin closed her eyes, shifting slightly before wincing.  
  
“Careful,” Caster moved forward, looking around after a moment. “I suppose I should find you clothing of some sort. You were burned so badly that I had to remove the nightgown by ripping it up, but that leaves you… well, in a state of undress.” He doffed his coat, lightly laying it over the woman.  
  
“I have… money hidden away in one of the lamppost’s outside my home… Use the card to get me things…”  
  
“I can help them find you clothing.” Lancer told her.  
  
The woman nodded weakly.  
  
“Master,” Berserker moved forward, climbing onto the bed so he could be close. The tail behind him moved just over her body, blocking the others from getting too close. “It is good to see you awake. Caster and I have repaired a good portion of the damage, but should you find the pain to be unacceptable, notify myself or Caster immediately. We shall supply you with the mana and energy you need to recover and remove the pain.”  
  
She nodded again.  
  
The man looked around, crossing his arms as he stood to his full height on the bed. He probably looked like a giant to the woman as his tail moved before her face. “We discussed names while you rested, since we share the same persona. I am to be called Berserker. The Cu Chulainn that you know is Lancer. The kid with the short hair is Prototype. And then the one that gave you that coat is Caster. Should you need any of us, merely call us by our namesakes and we’ll come to you.”  
  
“Thank you…”  
  
“I am your lance. There’s nothing more to this than that.” The man hesitated a moment before bending down. His fingers drifted through her hair lightly. “I have no need for sentiments like my cohorts. However, if they bother you, inform me and I will kill them.”  
  
She shut her eyes, leaning into his touch.  
  
For a moment, the rune covered man just looked at her. Something in his expression, in the way that he seemed to hesitate, reminded Lancer of the other two. It reminded him of himself when he had first seen the woman.  
  
Without a doubt, the woman seemed to have something about her that called to him. It called to them all. Not even his shadow of a self could deny that.  
  
Berserker climbed off the bed, taking a rag from Prototype and dipping it into the water he had set by the bed.  
  
“Lancer. Caster. Prototype. Leave me with our master. We need supplies. Get this card that she mentioned and retrieve anything that seems of necessity. Lancer seems the most knowledgeable about this time. Lancer should remain in charge.”  
  
“I don’t trust leaving Master alone with you,” Caster argued. He yanked the rag away and moved closer to the woman. “While Lancer is fine to find the materials we need to set up a proper base here, I think someone should remain here with you and Master.”  
  
“Don’t trust me?” The man narrowed his gaze, his stoic look echoed in Caster’s expression.  
  
“Not a bit. Not after what you did to heal our master.”  
  
“I simply did what you were too afraid to do.”  
  
“Morals exist for a reason.”  
  
“Debatable.”  
  
Lancer sighed. “Caster. Berserker. Clean up the blood and grime from master and put her on some clean sheets if possible. Proto and I will head out to get supplies.”  
  
“Is there anything in particular that you would like, Master?” Proto moved to the side of the bed, stroking the woman’s cheek gently. “Anything at all?”  
  
The woman leaned into his touch, opening her eyes. “Something to drink…”  
  
“Liquor? Wine?”  
  
“Something sweet.”  
  
“Ah,” Proto cooed at that, his gaze softening. “What a lass, killing me with such words. I can do that for ya. Something sweet. Give Lancer and I a bit of time and we’ll bring ya back something sweet to drink.”  
  
“Come on,” Lancer yanked at the kid’s armor, tugging him away from the woman.  
  
“See you soon, Master!”  
  
Caster tugged the coat up a bit higher, looking over at Berserker as the two left. Berserker nodded, beginning on one leg as Caster began with the other.  
  
Proto chuckled, moving ahead of him towards the door. “Luck’s changing, Lancer.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“I’m going to have one hell of a time with our little master,” the man cooed.  
  
“Don’t piss me off, Proto.”  
  
“It’s fine, Lancer.” The man sprinted towards the door. “Let’s get supplies!”


	3. Chapter 3

The pain had been unbearable.  
  
Truly, indescribably unbearable.  
  
Then there had been nothing. Rin had found herself in an abyss, drifting along. Something like a thread had kept her mind intact as she had drifted. Eternity had passed, leaving her in wait. For what, she was not sure, but she hadn’t been able to do anything other than remain still.  
  
Without a body, her mind had been left to wander.  
  
So thinking, she had done.  
  
She had remembered her family: father, mother and sister. All gone. Although her sister still lived, they were no longer associated with one another. They were lost to one another due to decisions of others.  
  
She had remembered her friends: held at a distance, with the exception of Shirou. But when she had saved Saber, helping Shirou to summon the woman back after the war had ended, he had gone away. His attentions had focused in on Saber and, soon enough, Rin had found herself alone again. She had settled into the big home, alone and a survivor of a war. The night hours were once more filled with magecraft and experiments. The daylight hours had been restricted down, focused on learning more about ways around the grail’s war and what it meant for the heroes who fought in it.  
  
Her mind had drifted to the eyes she had seen before losing consciousness. Deep, expressive red eyes. The kind of red eyes that were unlike any other. They were unusual. Yet, the more she thought of those eyes, the more she thought of the rest of his face. The Celt’s high cheekbones, thin face, angled jawline; she could see that face after a time in such detail that she could have painted it had she the talent.  
  
Lancer.  
  
The man had saved her from fire before.  
  
Whatever was happening to her at this moment, whatever had placed her in this state, Lancer would figure out how to reach her.  
  
While Archer and Shirou were heroes in their own manner, they lacked the same kind of mannerisms that made Lancer stand out in her mind’s eye.  
  
Perhaps it was the teasing that reached her in the end.  
  
Had she a body, she would have flinched, curling in on herself. But this state of nothingness didn’t allow for that. She could only dwell on his actions further.  
  
For the second time in her life, she had been saved and unable to do much other than watch him. Once more, she found herself at his mercy and making the most of it.  
  
Voices drifted passed her ears, bringing her to the world, but she could only breathe the words she needed said, paying little mind to what was happening around her. The four figures appeared and disappeared soon enough, leaving her back in the abyss of her mind.  
  
And then…  
  
Well, and then…  
  
Nothingness.  
  
Nothingness…  
  
So much nothingness.  
  
“Ah, Tohsaka Rin…” An arm reached over her body, a pair of lips pressing lightly to her cheek. “Master…”  
  
She leaned into the touch, needing that stability. She needed something to cling to in this world. The darkness needed to be pushed away. She needed to return to reality. She needed to find out who had burned the house down.  
  
“Rin,” the Celt’s voice breathed.  
  
“Lancer…”  
  
“Sleep long enough?”  
  
Rin opened her eyes, looking away from where she had heard Lancer’s voice originally to see another Lancer looking at her. The other’s hair was far less maintained, his bangs covering more of his face.  
  
“Good evening, Master.”  
  
“Where am I?”  
  
The canopy of her bed was gone, replaced with gilded, but slightly cracked ceilings. The walls, tired looking and a dismal grey color, were far from the elegance and warmth that she was used to with her home.  
  
“Einsbern manor,” Lancer who looked normal replied. “Berserker and Caster have begun work on the grounds around your home. There was a lot of magecraft buried around the perimeter when they went to investigate with me a couple days ago. We think someone planned to burn you alive in your home and went about it slowly.”  
  
Rin shut her eyes, sighing deeply.  
  
“They can’t get you,” the younger looking Lancer offered, leaning against her shoulder lightly. His hands traced along her arm. “You have the hound of Culainn at your side now. As much as I have been known throughout time as Cu Chulainn, I will keep you safe.”  
  
“Proto, I doubt she needs the damsel in distress spiel from you.” Lancer leaned against her other shoulder, growling as he mimicked the same kind of arm stroking that Proto Lancer was doing.  
  
“I summoned two of you,” Rin observed.  
  
“Four, but who’s counting,” Lancer teased. “They’ve been a hassle here and there, but I mean, if you can live with yourself in your head, living with multiple of yourself’s not bad.”  
  
“Lancer’s bossy,” Proto complained, snuggling against her side a little more. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff he says. ‘Don’t strip master.’ ‘Stop trying to see if she’s awake.’ ‘Don’t piss on the carpet.’ ‘Stop adding runes and let her sleep.’ Caster and Berserker managed to at least come to the understanding with me that Lancer’s annoying.”  
  
Rin remembered those other two. Berserker’s tail, spiked and moving lightly with his body, had towered over her when he had mentioned something about the four of them. Then Caster had covered her…  
  
Rin sat up, looking around as her body ached in response.  
  
“Whoa,” both men held onto her, easing her back down.  
  
She was covered. The black nightgown was a bit more risqué than she would have liked, but it was covering and comfortable. She sighed, closing her eyes for a minute to bite back the pain.  
  
“You shouldn’t be moving around just yet.” Lancer held her close. “Caster had to reattach mana circuits and repair an obnoxious amount of burns. Berserker’s been focusing on ensuring that your circuits are working to the best of their abilities as well. Between all of that and needing rest, I doubt you should be moving for a few more days.”  
  
“How long have I been sleeping?”  
  
“About a week,” Proto replied.  
  
A week.  
  
She had been unconscious and out of commission for a week. “What have you all been doing?”  
  
“Healing you, preparing the grounds around your burned down home, defending the manor from a couple intruders,” Proto snuggled against her side. “Just some entertaining things.”  
  
“Berserker and Proto found one set of intruders, but they fought them off. It was a short fight,” Lancer supplied.  
  
“Couldn’t handle fighting against strong opposition.” Proto beamed. “Take pride in us, Master. We’re probably going to be the best servants you’ve ever summoned. Hard to compete when we’ve mastered three classes of servants.”  
  
Rin ran a hand through the distracting bangs, watching the man grin. He was maybe a couple years older than her? Appearance-wise, no one would think much older than that when they stood side by side. Looking at Lancer, she could see how the man had developed from Proto’s point in time.  
  
“You’re spoilin’ me,” the younger man sighed.  
  
“Rin,” Lancer leaned against her a little more, taking up more of her space. He tilted her face towards him. “Don’t let the kid fool ya. By the time I was his age, I’d stolen about a half dozen hearts and enjoyed a good other dozen women’s beds.”  
  
“You can leave,” Proto offered, glaring at him.  
  
“I’m protecting my master from a fucking git.”  
  
“I don’t see why you have to bastardize my good name with your demented memories. Clearly at your age, I’ve become senile and forgetful. I have seen a fair maiden or two, but as someone who fights to the death with others, having a fair maiden who can fight alongside me was impossible to find.”  
  
Rin rolled her eyes. “Both of you, shut up. I’m trying to rest.”  
  
“Lancer’s annoying. I can only do so much about his advanced age.”  
  
Rin smacked him, earning a hurt look for the split second before her hands were buried in that hair. His was shorter now that she was looking more. The thicker, bushier mane of hair was entertaining to mess with. Judging by the look on the man’s face, she had forever to play with it.  
  
“Caster and Berserker will be back soon,” Lancer offered. “When they get back, it’ll be time for Proto and I to return to your house. We’re working on putting the walls back up.”  
  
“How far along are you with that?”  
  
“Basement’s done,” Proto purred, opening one eye to look up at her. “We have the framework of the house put in place, but Lancer never saw the inside of your home so it’s been more of a guess based on what memories Caster’s looked at from your mind.”  
  
“Caster did what?”  
  
“Just a slight memory share. Nothing you would feel uncomfortable with anyone seeing.” Lancer countered. “We have the frame and walls in place.”  
  
“How are you getting the materials for all this?”  
  
“The card you told us about and what Caster and Berserker have come up with together. Apparently, they have found a way to replicate materials.” Proto pressed his lips to the center of her chest. Rin could see the red designs of command spells peaking out from beneath the nightgown as she looked at him.  
  
“You’re being overly affectionate,” she argued.  
  
“I’m just excited to fight with a competent master.”  
  
Rin leaned against Lancer, glancing up to see his gaze on her chest.  
  
“Besides, I find it unfair that Lancer’s command spells get to be on your chest. The rest of us got your hands and back.”  
  
She was surprised she only had those visible. Thinking back, she could remember what the fire had done. Her skin had melted in the flames, bone showing at a certain point. There was no way that the damage that she had been subjected to could heal so nicely.  
  
As though reading her thoughts, Lancer pulled one of her hands into view, stroking the unblemished skin lightly. “They did a fantastic job of healing you. The thought of me as a caster is gross, but I won’t argue the results. Between Berserker’s mana driven work and Caster’s salves and runes, you can’t tell that the damage even occurred.”  
  
“I will have to thank them.”  
  
“I hear something about being thanked?” A slightly lighter blue haired Lancer walked in, pulling off his coat as he looked at them. From behind him, the rune covered Cu from before stalked into the room. The rune covered one tossed his dark hoodie onto the floor before climbing onto the bed.  
  
It was a big enough bed, apparently. Proto was shoved out of the way a moment before Rin found a tail curling over her person and Berserker’s head resting against her stomach.  
  
“Oi! Berserker!” Proto kicked at the bed. “I was resting.”  
  
“You had your shift. Go do some work,” Caster complained. “You too, Lancer. I saw the lousy job you both did with the walls. If they aren’t properly insolated, we’re going to be freezing our asses off in the winter. Go fix it.”  
  
“Such a nag,” Lancer climbed to his feet, his armor materializing onto his person before he looked over at Proto. “Come on, Proto. We might as well get this shit done. We’ll be back in twelve hours.”  
  
“Don’t move around Master too much,” Proto added, following after Lancer.  
  
“Bossy little shits.” Caster’s crossed his arms as he looked over at her, his expression softening. “I guess you did wake up. Welcome to the realm of the living again, Master.”  
  
“Just Rin… Rin’s fine.”  
  
The man settled onto the edge of the bed, brushing her bangs back as he looked her over lightly. “Anything hurting?”  
  
“Only when I get up.”  
  
“You were burned severely.” Berserker rested his chin on her stomach as he spoke up. “A normal being without mana would have died within minutes. As it was, you weren’t far off from dying yourself, Master. You’re showing promise with that energy and pain tolerance.”  
  
“Is there-“  
  
“There’s no damage noticeable at this point. Any damage that was there has been handled by myself and Berserker. Berserker has focused on your mana and magecraft while I’ve focused on your physical body,” Caster replied. He motioned as a thought came to him, “well, aside from possible scars. Someone decided killing half the woods around the house was an acceptable sacrifice for vanity.”  
  
“Half the woods?”  
  
“Animals. Nothing human. But it’s been a pain and a half stepping on dead animals around the woods on the way into the city.” The light haired man leaned back, falling against the pillows next to her and crossing his arms behind his head. “It’s over and done with though. At this point, we just need to let your body and mind realize that they are still whole. Your mind is no doubt still expecting the burning and associated pain of that to be happening. You’ll be sore for a while.”  
  
“Unless someone comes up with runes for that,” Berserker growled.  
  
“Runes aren’t a cure all.”  
  
The beast grunted, tail adjusting again. The scale oriented thing slid against her legs, making Rin frown.  
  
“Berserker…”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Rin motioned for his tail. “Why is it that you have a tail?”  
  
“Why is the sky blue? Why is the gods’ lands green? Why do human beings die so quickly when I stab them?” He gave a shrug. “I don’t care to find these answers, Master.”  
  
“You can just call me Rin.”  
  
“I don’t know you well enough for that.”  
  
“Don’t bother to tell him to do much.” Caster pat the beast of a man on the head. “He doesn’t listen to much. If it wasn’t for the fact that we both have an interest in the old ways of magecraft, I doubt that he would even listen to me.”  
  
“I wouldn’t,” the man agreed.  
  
Rin inched slightly closer to Caster. As interesting as Berserker was, he was still a Berserker. Most of the ones she had read about in the Tohsaka notes and information had listed them as mindless beasts that did more fighting and killing than talking.  
  
“How does having four of you work exactly?”  
  
“Hmm?” Those red eyes flickered to hers, Caster’s expression looking so similar to Lancer’s that Rin had to remind herself that it wasn’t quite him. “What do you mean?”  
  
“I can’t imagine trying to get along with myself as a duplicate or double. Having three other of me to associate with would be hard to fathom. I feel like we’d fight more than get along.”  
  
They both chuckled at that. Berserker answering, “It’s not that we don’t fight, so much as we all have the same goals in the end. Kill your enemies, see to your wellbeing, and do whatever is asked of us. Beyond those things, we don’t necessarily get along. Caster is too focused on his spells and work to be sensible. Lancer is caught up on his own ego to do much. Prototype is too damn young. He pisses us all off all the time. And then,” Berserker’s smile turned darker. “They’re all afraid to get too close to me. I’m more like a rabid dog than a pup like the rest of ‘em.”  
  
“Don’t compare us to dogs, Berserker.” The man simply looked at his Caster self, scoffing.  
  
“I will when you all stop trailing around like lost whelps.”  
  
“You partnered up for different things though,” Rin pointed out. “So you have preferences?”  
  
“Eh… I wouldn’t say preferences, Master. I enjoy corrupting Caster here and there. He’s too damn good for his own wellbeing. Then Proto tends to listen to Lancer best so we enjoy tossing the kid his way just to tick Lancer off.”  
  
Caster didn’t seem to dislike Berserker that much though. Even as the man continued to poke at the other, ending up with a good punch to the face after a time, Rin could see some kind of tolerance on Caster’s part. The two men took a good while to tease and poke at one another, letting her enjoy their conversation rather than having to take part.  
  
They took a break as Rin found herself in need of the restroom. Her body was carefully pulled into Berserker’s arms, her back lightly held by Caster as the man ran circles around them, getting the doors and holding them open.  
  
Her legs weren’t quite healed yet.  
  
There were traces of burns along both legs, running up the sides where the seams of the nightgown would have been. Her arms weren’t burned though. Considering the amount of damage she had seen on them as she had tried to summon Lancer, the two men helping her had worked miracles.  
  
They were patient in waiting for her to finish, settling on either side of her and talking about their differences in magecraft. Listening in, she couldn’t quite understand the terminology.  
  
Something to learn after she recovered, no doubt.  
  
She pressed her palms to their shoulders when it was time to get up, letting one hold her nightgown up as she finished. Propriety didn’t have a place when her body was in shambles. They had no doubt seen everything anyway.  
  
Still, her face burned as she was returned to Berserker’s arms and carried back to the bedroom.  
  
“Do you want to talk to us some or sleep?” Caster tossed himself onto the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. The shirt he had on inched upwards, giving her a view of his abdomen.  
  
“Sleep.”  
  
The response came instantly, her face pressing against Berserker’s shoulder.  
  
Geez, but Lancer was always a damn tease, even as a Caster.  
  
A hand gravitated to her ass for a moment, drowning out that realm of thought and bringing out a squeak. The abnormal sound made both men snort.  
  
“Teasing the master. Shame, Berserker.” Caster reached up, carefully pulling her away from the man. The bastard’s tail was sweeping behind him, like some kind of mutt. “Poor Master, unable to fight with us all right now.”  
  
“Jerks.”  
  
“I don’t think she appreciates all the hard work we’ve done, Caster,” Berserker teased, climbing onto the bed as Caster took the liberty of pulling the sheets up.  
  
“Such a shame,” Caster agreed. His lips pressed against her neck. “That’s fine though. I don’t mind. When you are able to walk again and we are able to fight, I would like to talk to you about how you managed this summoning, Rin.”  
  
There was nowhere to turn. As Caster got too close on her left, Berserker got too close on her right. The two men curled up close, leaving her to remain on her back. There was too much testosterone in this bed now. At least with Lancer and Proto, she had been given some space, a chance to breathe. With these two, there was no telling where her body ended after a time and where theirs began.  
  
She could feel where the scales and muscles met on Berserker’s person, his armor dematerializing. Caster meanwhile kept his armor on, but only the undershirt and skirt. While Berserker smelled of metal and smoke, Caster smelled of ozone and open fields. The fluff on his shirt soon enough was what she found herself leaning against.  
  
His arms wrapped around her welcomingly. His lips pressing against her forehead once again.  
  
She drifted back to sleep, listening to the sound of his heartbeat against her ear.


	4. Chapter 4

It rained.  
  
Unsurprising really. Lancer found himself underneath the roof they had managed to build, staring up at the skies with Berserker and Proto at his side.  
  
“We could work on the runes again,” Proto offered.  
  
“Unwise.” Berserker crossed his arms, glaring up at the grey clouds above. “Only an idiot would work in the rain. We’ve made enough progress for today. With the barriers in place, both here and the manor will be fine. We’ll pick back up on this tomorrow.”  
  
“Guess that means we get to spend the afternoon with master.” Proto beamed at the prospect. After returning a couple days prior to find their master curled up against Caster and hugging Berserker’s tail, Proto and Lancer had made use of their twelve hours to the most of their ability.  
  
Most of the time, Rin would sleep. No doubt Caster’s doing, but there was little they could do about it. Rin needed the rest. Each time she awakened, she was slightly more alert. She had almost managed to stand up for a full minute early that morning. Her hands had been off the bed the entire time she had stood, but they had given out and she had fallen into Prototype’s arms.  
  
And now-  
  
“I’ll go on ahead!” Proto was racing around the corner, sprinting through the rain in his need to get to their master.  
  
“He’s too far gone to be saved,” Berserker complained. “Master should have made him kill himself.”  
  
“Come on, Berserker.” Lancer tossed the man’s hood over his head, starting into the rain as well. “We may as well get back.”  
  
“It’s been quiet for a week,” Berserker pointed out, catching up quickly. “We should hunt for whomever harmed Master.”  
  
“We should, but looking for them right now while our master is weak wouldn’t be wise. If they’re near our master or we use up our mana, Rin wouldn’t be able to help us.”  
  
Honestly, he didn’t feel that comfortable leaving his other selves with Rin in the first place. Berserker himself was the least trustable, making comments about increasing her mana to Caster and arguing about runes for energy. The other had merely growled that the woman wasn’t a battery.  
  
The alter himself merely crossed his arms at his comment though.  
  
“Are you that doubtful of your capabilities?” he asked.  
  
Lancer glanced back at the man. “Do you think we should look now?”  
  
“Caster is watching Master. Prototype can provide extra protection while we search.” He motioned at the area, “with this rain in place, we could easily provide an overview of the surroundings and be able to go unnoticed. Everyone is trying to stay inside.”  
  
That was true. “Do you trust Proto to keep master safe?”  
  
“Caster will no doubt have noticed and taken some precautions to keep Prototype in check.” Berserker nodded at his own words before looking around. The road they were on was darker than before, providing a good mood for looking for their opposition. “They won’t be looking for her yet. It’s been a week and the barrier makes the house look burned to the ground still. They would have to be highly trained in looking for mana to notice the runes.”  
  
Lancer glanced around again before nodding. “Fine. We have some spare clothes at Master’s. We should change and hunt.”  
  
“Too much effort. Let’s go as is.”  
  
Easier said than done. The tail was-  
  
Berserker’s tail disappeared, his clothes changing into something more natural looking for the day and age. “I assume you can materialize your weapon to hand?”  
  
He took a moment, changing the armor into a pair of trews and a plain shirt. His mana close at hand, Lancer nodded. “Where do we begin?”  
  
“The rivers. I want to work from the outskirts of the town in. If we find the one who tried to come to manner, leave them to me. I want their head for Master.”  
  
What the hell was with this guy and being absolutely bloodthirsty and sadistic?  
  
“She won’t want to see it,” Lancer warned.  
  
“Won’t know until she sees it,” the man scoffed, shoving past him. “Take the left fork up here. I’ll go right. We meet back before the last raindrop falls or before the night begins.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Just remember I’m not listening to you. I’m doing this to keep our master safe.”  
  
Another grunt. The man turned away from him at the fork and disappeared into the rain.  
  
Each winding road, abandoned street, reminded him that they were no longer in his time. It was a reminder of the last time he had been summoned. Just like before, he found himself alone, looking for something. Enemies weren’t as obvious this time around. Instead of the enemies reporting to his master, this time the enemies were a mystery. This time, he was left with a master that was working to get herself back on her feet.  
  
And it made things worse. He could still see Master’s body burning in the fire. Still see her reaching out, trying to speak and coughing instead. She had stuttered, like the last bits of a flame with no oil.  
  
She had believed in him.  
  
Believed he could manage to save her like before. She had summoned him because she had known his worth. And this time, he was going to remain. Dying for her had been simple. Now it was his time to live. He had to agree with Berserker’s plan to kill the enemies. Leave nothing to chance this time.  
  
A mother and child walked home in the rain, holding hands as they crossed the street. Neither noticed him as he moved slowly behind some bushes. He watched for a moment before closing his eyes.  
  
There were faint trickles of energy.  
  
Here and there. Similar to what had been around the house when it had burned down.  
  
Berserker had been smart. With the rainfall, they would have lost the scent if they had waited.  
  
As it was, the rain was ruining what could be sensed.  
  
He trailed after what he could feel, turning the corner down another road.  
  
“Saber!”  
  
Cu Chulainn froze, watching as a woman ahead stopped. Her gaze flickered to the boy a few feet behind her.  
  
“Shirou, we need to hurry back.”  
  
“I know we do, but I just can’t stop thinking. Do you think she’s still alive? Do you really think Rin’s gone for good?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Saber replied. “But we need to find out. Are you still thinking of summoning another servant to help find her?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s the only way we can find out for sure that Rin is dead.”  
  
A tail curled around his legs as Lancer stood behind the corner, listening to the duo head up to their door and inside. Berserker materialized at his side.  
  
“Another servant.”  
  
“Rin won’t be pleased when she finds out about who they are.”  
  
The man looked at him closely, moving his face into his view as Lancer stared at the ground. “You make it sound like our master is master to them as well.”  
  
“Our master is close to this person. She was Saber’s master for a short time.”  
  
“Was. Now it seems they decided she was no longer necessary. I think Master would agree that being burned alive ruins allegiance.”  
  
“We can’t tell her.”  
  
Telling her would mean that Rin would have to debate on what to do. She would mull around with the idea of punishment, but in the end show nothing more than forgiveness. She was a gentler being. She’d seen it when she had run off towards Archer during the war. Even in the face of betrayal and ultimate suffering, she’d be forgiving.  
  
“Hmm?” Berserker frowned at him.  
  
“We’re gonna take care of them both,” Lancer repeated. There were no other options. “We’ll kill ‘em, but we won’t tell Master. Master’s been through enough. Let Caster help us cover things up. Proto can stay with Master and keep her distracted.”  
  
Berserker yawned, nodding. “Fine.”  
  
“I mean it. Finding out it was the kid and Saber would hurt her more than the fire did.”  
  
The man shrugged, turning away. “Damn idiots shouldn’t have led us straight to their home. I feel another person involved, but the trail feels faint. I don’t know if we’ll be able to follow it. We’ll find them later and let them take the blame the death of these two.” Berserker glanced over at him again, “Since you are so intent on sparing our master from pain.”  
  
They moved away from the house as quickly as they could, marking the path on their way to the outskirts of the city. Upon reaching the manor, Berserker deviated to the left. Lancer moved to the right. It was habit at this point. Check the surroundings. Check the barrier for weaknesses. Ensure the runes were still intact. Only once those things were done would they enter.  
  
The rainfall had brought about the darkness at a quicker rate, leaving them to enter only when things were impossible to see outside. They moved upstairs in unison, heading down the hallway to the master chamber.  
  
“-But you know, I wasn’t one for backing down from a good fight. When I found that the hounds were attacking, I struck!”  
  
Lancer opened the door, watching Proto gesture wildly in a reenactment of his slaying of Culainn’s hounds.  
  
“Naturally,” the boy went on, smiling that charismatic smile of his. “None of the nobles were too happy about losing their dogs so I thought to myself, I’m more defense than they’ll probably ever have. I could be their guard until they raised another whelp to prime. I did too. I was even asked to remain once the dogs were full grown.”  
  
Rin rolled her eyes, looking up at Caster. “And you did that as well?”  
  
“Momentarily. I decided after a run-in with an elder with vast knowledge of runes that I should think about something more oriented towards magic.”  
  
Caster was stroking her hair lightly, his other arm wrapped around their master’s waist.  
  
“Oi! I gotta finish the story.”  
  
“I think you’ve told enough tales,” Berserker declared.  
  
“Lancer. Berserker.” Rin smiled. “Prototype was mentioning that you slayed a set of dogs to earn your true name. Did you both do that as well?”  
  
“I did,” Berserker moved forward, climbing onto the bed. “Then after they decided to kill the pups they raised, I decided they weren’t worthy of living.” The man rolled over, his arms wrapping around Rin’s waist as well. His face pressed against her side. “Killed all of them and fed them to the remaining mutts in the area.”  
  
Lancer crossed his arms, staring at the lot of them.  
  
For all the talk about Master not being anything more than a mouthpiece to direct him, Berserker seemed terribly fond of Rin. Caster was getting more advantage than the rest of them as well, earning the most time with Rin against him.  
  
Prototype climbed back onto the bed and grinned more, shaking his head. “You have to be getting bored, Rin. Staying in this damn room all day.”  
  
“I’ve been sleeping mostly,” Rin countered. “You know I can’t quite stand just yet.”  
  
“We just need to work on it. You need to be trying to move around,” the boy egged on, earning a smack from Berserker.  
  
“Try to hurt master, even unintentionally, and I will personally see you to a grave, boy. Let her rest until she is prepared for walking.”  
  
“Don’t threaten him, Berserker.” Rin smacked the man lightly before looking over at Lancer.  
  
He really didn’t realize how long he had been watching until Rin motioned for him to come over to her side, patting the only available space left.  
  
“Saving me a spot?” Lancer climbed over the sheets, dematerializing his armor as he climbed to her side. Caster’s coat covered his waist the moment his pants were gone, leaving him to roll his eyes as he leaned against Rin’s shoulder. “Should I be assuming things, Rin?”  
  
“I just- You shouldn’t have to stand on your own when everyone else is with me.” She turned her face away, blushing heavily as Proto climbed a little higher up her legs, lying flat on the bed now.  
  
“Mhmm.” He leaned a little closer, brushing back her hair to murmur into her ear. “I sense someone has preferences over the original versus duplicates.”  
  
The woman shook a little, curling into Caster’s arms a little more. “ah-I was just being nice, Lancer. Don’t assume things!”  
  
“I don’t mind.” He teased, pressing his lips to her neck. “Just let me know when I need to push the others out.”  
  
“Don’t you be pushin’ me out,” Proto complained. “You’re a shit.”  
  
Caster cleared his throat, avoiding Berserker’s glance his way as he pulled something off the nightstand. “While you three were working, Rin and I were working on something to keep everyone’s mana in check.”  
  
“You should be saving your mana,” Berserker chastised.  
  
“You need mana in case of a fight. If I’m lying here, I can’t help you.” She pulled one of the necklaces out of Caster’s hands and held it up. “I had Caster wander out for a bit to grab materials and we worked on these while you were out. They have enough power in them that you would be able to use all that you have and still have enough mana to sustain yourselves until you could reach me. With these, I won’t have to wonder which of you is coming back to me at night.”  
  
“I’ll wear it if you put it on me,” Proto offered, bending his head forward. Those red eyes glinted in mischief as Rin nodded.  
  
“This one is for Berserker. Give me a moment.”  
  
Berserker stared at the thing for a moment, his fingers tracing over the the rune shaped pendant silently before he glanced at her. “You were listening when I was talking to Caster?”  
  
“Your preference is for runework that is oriented towards a different area than most.” Rin nodded. “I tried to remember everything you had mentioned the few times I was awake with you.”  
  
He stared at the necklace again.  
  
“If you don’t like it-“  
  
He pulled his hood down, bending his head forward for her. “I will accept it, since you seem to understand what kind of servant you’ve summoned… Rin.”  
  
They all blinked at the name, all but Rin. She seemed to sense the victory she had achieved with the beast. She put the necklace around Berserker’s neck and nodded. Her expression was nothing less than proud. “It suits you anyway. So long as you don’t go killing without some kind of plan in place, it’s fine.”  
  
The man looked away, leaning against Caster’s legs as Rin pulled Proto’s necklace out of Caster’s hands next.  
  
“You don’t have to put it on me,” Proto cooed. Before they could sense his intentions, the man leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Nothing light either, the man kissed with intent. His hand held the back of her neck as the three others froze, processing what they were seeing.  
  
They had made a damn agreement about this! No lips!  
  
Rin’s face lit up a thousand shades of red as Proto pulled the necklace from her hands and scampered off the bed.  
  
“Damn brat,” Berserker snarled, climbing off the bed and lunging at him. The boy just jumped aside, laughing as he tossed the necklace on himself and sprinted towards the door.  
  
“Let me know when we should continue that good bit there, Rin,” he called.  
  
“You won’t have a head to continue with when I’m through with you, Prototype,” Berserker snarled, giving chase out of the room.  
  
Caster watched them both disappear and sighed, pulling himself off the bed as well. “I sense they’ll actually kill one another if I don’t do something about it.” Lancer watched him place the last necklace into Rin’s hands before heading towards the door. “If they have this much energy, I’m going to make them at least do something useful. They could repair this building for example. Strengthen the barrier further.”  
  
He left, shutting the door so that it was finally just himself and Rin.  
  
The rain pattered softly against the window as Rin turned the necklace in her hands over once again, huffing.  
  
“Remember you did technically summon them all as well.”  
  
“Caster has been fine. Berserker and Prototype have been different though. I’m still not sure what to make of them.”  
  
Lancer nodded, waiting.  
  
Those blue eyes looked over at him, her fingers closing around the rune embedded gem. “I should give this to you. I worked with Caster a bit longer on it. Since you were the one I wanted to summon, I felt like you should be given a little extra energy. I feel like the others are also tied closely to you.”  
  
“You can just tell me that you wanted to do something extra just for me. You don’t have to justify it,” he murmured, grinning for a moment before he saw her expression. Her face turned a deeper pink, her hands shaking slightly as she placed the necklace around his neck.  
  
As her hands tried to quickly get away, he held them in place. His gaze remained focused as she averted her eyes, avoiding him. Such an embarrassed woman. Yet, he hadn’t even begun to truly tease her.  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“It’s nothing really. I should be working alongside you all to repair things and find out who tried to kill me. Instead I’m lying in bed with one of you as a babysitter.” She huffed, glaring at him. “It’s not right. I’ll accept it because I have to, but when I find the energy to move fully without aid, I will be helping you all.”  
  
Strong as ever. Even when they both knew it would take time for her to heal, she was making promises. She was giving her word.  
  
Lancer leaned forward, cupping her face in his hands slightly.  
  
Her eyes turned away from him, face warming up further between his palms.  
  
“You’re still wet from outside,” Rin murmured.  
  
“Ah- you damned woman,” he leaned closer, pressing his forehead to hers. “You’re killing me four times over with those expressions of yours. It’s little wonder I want to kill my younger self for kissing you.”  
  
“Lancer…”  
  
Sealing her lips with his own, he kissed her lightly. It was more of an open kind of kiss than Prototype’s had been. If she wanted to move away from him. If she wanted to avoid kissing him-  
  
But her lips pressed back, her hands clutching the coat around his hips for some kind of support. He felt the cold air below and grinned, distracting her further as he deepened what was happening between them.  
  
“Lancer…”  
  
She was already out of breath, her eyes glazed over slightly as he pulled back to grin.  
  
“You still need rest.”  
  
“I’m tired of resting.”  
  
Lancer nodded, pulling the coat up his legs a little more. Thank gods for Caster’s common sense at a time like this. He could hammer the whole damn house of hers together with this kind of problem.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
He kissed her again, feeling her go pliant in his arms. Her arms went around his shoulders this time. Those eyes looking up at him with complete trust. It was undeniable. She knew he wouldn’t leave. He wouldn’t turn away from her. Gods, but he wasn’t sure if he could manage to turn away even if he wanted to. Even Berserker had surrendered. Her name now left his lips as it did with the rest of them.  
  
“Maybe we should pester Caster to work harder,” he offered, pulling back to find himself out of breath as well. He wanted to see how far they could go. If she was healed just a bit more, no longer weak and unable to move much…  
  
“Caster is working hard enough. I’ll heal.” Rin shook her head. “Where are you all at with the house?”  
  
“The walls are up. Roof’s on. We still need to fix the inside and figure out how to get furniture for the damn place.”  
  
“That should be easy enough. Let me know when you have the inside finished and we’ll order things to be delivered.” Rin’s gaze moved to the room. “I’m getting tired of being in a bed that’s not mine. It feels eerie to be in this place.”  
  
“It was the only place I could think of.”  
  
“It was a smart choice. If we had gone to Shirou’s, Shirou could have been targeted next. The church was destroyed a while ago and the Mage Association has withdrawn from Fuyuki for the time being. They don’t want to have another war in the city when the city has needed them to pay for repairs and damage costs twice.”  
  
“We don’t know who could have harmed you. Until we do, I don’t want to move you back into your home. We’ll finish the house and wait until you are able to run again before going back.”  
  
“Smart.” Rin nodded. “The other three told me you were planning things. They weren’t kidding.”  
  
“Tomorrow I’m gonna take Caster and Berserker with me for the day.”  
  
He needed to take them. They needed to remove the problem before Rin found out about Shirou and Saber. If they had tried to kill Rin, then they would die. Berserker would see to it best. Caster would be a good support for ensuring no one else saw what happened and he could kill the kid himself. After the last war, he had come to think the kid had held some kind of regard for Rin. He had been nothing less than noble about the whole thing. Learning otherwise of Shirou…  
  
Learning it was so much otherwise just pissed him off.  
  
Rin deserved better. She would get better. She had him.  
  
People like that damn archer and those two… They were better dead than alive.  
  
“Lancer?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Rin looked up at him, her hands pressing against his cheeks as he held her face in his hands. “You’re getting the same kind of frustrated expression as Berserker. What’s wrong?”  
  
“I don’t like having you weak.”  
  
“I don’t like being in this state either.”  
  
He kept his forehead against hers, closing his eyes to breathe in her presence. “Don’t mistake me, Rin. I’m a selfish bastard. I don’t like you weak for other reasons.”  
  
“Other reasons?”  
  
His hands drifted lower, wrapping around her waist so he could pull her closer. “Sharing you, even with myself, is annoying. I just want to tease you and spoil you myself, but they get in the way.”  
  
Once more, the blush returned to her features. Those eyes examined his face, her hands lowering to land on the coat between their bodies. He had her at a loss for words.  
  
“Rin?”  
  
“I-I will be better soon enough. I managed to stand today. Give me another day or two and I’ll be walking.” Her eyes met his. “You’re not the only selfish one here. I have my own intentions for when I can walk and function again. I intend to get back at whomever did this to me. I’ll kill them before they have the chance to kill me again.”  
  
His fingers stroked the small of her back lightly through the fabric of her nightgown.  
  
It was tempting to tell her who had done it. But that would mean going against what he had already told Berserker. That would mean making her wonder why.  
  
“Don’t think about it too much,” he told her, his lips pressing against hers again. She was different than she had been before. Still embarrassed by the touch, naturally. Her body still tensed slightly as he kissed her. She still acted new to the idea of being in someone’s arms.  
  
Yet she kissed him back. Her arms wrapped around him once again and he pulled her into a laying position. His attentions trailed to her collarbone, his touch light.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“I won’t do anything more than this,” he promised. “You’ve been trapped in this place for too long with nothing to do and only myself for company. I’m sure my other selves have talked your ears off enough.”  
  
“Berserker never really talks, not unless it’s about killing or magecraft.” She hummed into his touch lightly, her face a bold shade of red that matched the sheets. “I haven’t known what to say to him on that either.”  
  
“Nothing to say. He’s a berserker.”  
  
He had to wrap himself around her body, holding tight lest he let himself go any further. Despite what he had promised, the temptation was there. Her body, newly healed and carefully looked after, was soft to the touch and warm. She was a source of warmth.  
  
In a world full of betrayal and despair, she held the darkness at bay. Not even darkness himself could resist.  
  
“Lancer?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Rin’s eyes drifted away from his and he tilted her face back to him.  
  
“Don’t make me beg to see your face, Rin. Look at me when you talk to me.” His lips pressed against hers again.  
  
“I was just thinking…” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Berserker is going to try to kill you too if he comes in here to find you kissing me.”  
  
“Sassy little shit,” he breathed, glancing towards the door. The other three hadn’t come back quite yet. Probably still trying to kill Prototype. “I’ll face that problem when it comes to me. You rest against Caster all the damn time. Sleep against me for once.”  
  
“That’s because you all leave Caster here.” Rin snuggled against his side, smirking to herself. “You underestimate him and upset him all the time. He’s actually very useful. I’m planning to have him teach me about more of his craft that’s oriented around gems.”  
  
“Me as a caster… I’ve never heard such a stupid idea.”  
  
“Such a useful and powerful servant,” Rin sighed, her arms wrapping around him a little more. “One of the most powerful mages I’ve ever seen.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. You’re just making me want to beat him up more.”  
  
“Okay, Berserker.”  
  
“You’re lucky you’re damn cute.”  
  
Those baby blues peeked up at him, the haughty, know-it-all light back in her eyes. Her body shimmied up just a bit so she could kiss him one more time before resting against his chest.  
  
“Bribery won’t help you, Rin.”  
  
“It doesn’t have to. You already know you’ll take any sass I give you.”  
  
“Uh huh.”  
  
“You will. You’re as smitten with me as Prototype is,” she teased.  
  
Such a proud tone of voice with her. Lancer glanced at the woman in his arms and rolled his eyes. “Go to sleep, Rin.”  
“Goodnight, Lancer.”  
  
“Goodnight, Master.”


	5. Chapter 5

The three set out at dawn apparently.  
  
Not that she was expecting them all to be there when she had awakened, but still. She had expected more people in the room than simply Prototype with his shirt unbuttoned and his hair loose around his shoulders.   
  
Rin wasn’t sure exactly when they left or what they had decided as they were leaving. If anything, they had left Prototype even less in the know about where they would be heading, only that it wouldn’t be to Rin’s home.  
  
“They didn’t say anything?”  
  
“Nah,” Proto leaned against the pillows beside her, flipping through some of the runes that she and Caster had been studying the day before. “Lancer seemed to think he’d need both of ‘em though. They’re probably out hunting for whoever tried to burn you alive.”  
  
“I should be with them.” Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Rin found her path blocked. Prototype pushed her back, herding her back under the covers.  
  
“Come on now. Don’t do that. You shouldn’t be out there right now and we both know it. At best, you could run your mouth and draw. At worst, you could be a distraction and bait.”  
  
“Still-“  
  
“I get ya.” The man’s smile was nothing less than tight as he shook his head. “Truly, I do. It’s annoying as can be to not be trusted to fight, but right now, we have to focus on you. Healing is your big task. Then when you’re healed, we’ll focus on killin’ whoever got ya.”  
  
“I should do something.”  
  
It wasn’t sitting right. With Lancer taking two of the others with him, it left little doubt in her mind that he had found a lead of some sort. They were going to actually fight. Brutally. Judging by how Berserker spoke about little else, he would no doubt make the fight as long and as painful for the other as possible.  
  
Which felt… off.  
  
She wanted to know why they had done it. Why had they decided to burn her house down? Had they intended to burn her along with it?  
  
Caster had asked about the fire, leaving little doubt that someone had prepared the house for the fire. Flames didn’t move that quickly. Smoke didn’t happen that little. She should have had some kind of warning about the fire if it had started in another room. She should have heard the crackling of the flames moving along the hallway. It shouldn’t have gone in a direct path to the bed and lit the whole thing on fire as though it were covered in gas.  
  
Shouldn’t have, but it had.  
  
“Hey…”  
  
Rin looked over at the man next to her, pulling away from her thoughts a bit.  
  
“Don’t think about it.”  
  
“Think about what?”  
  
The man slipped closer, wrapping an arm around her as he sighed. “You know, the fire and shit. It’s too much for anyone to think about after that much injury. My mentor always got after me for thinking about that kind of thing too. What if I hadn’t done this? What if I hadn’t pissed off that person?”  
  
If only it were as easy as simply not thinking about the fire. What she wouldn't have given to have the fire erased from her memory and to be able to sleep without companionship. While the duplicates had ensured that she would never have to face the nightmares alone, there was a part of her that still recoiled at the idea of sleeping with him. She had always thought of herself as someone who would be interested in one person, someone who was far more independent than the average person. She had lived alone for so long. Yet, in the short span of her time with the duplicates, she had found herself yearning for each one of them at times.   
  
Berserker brought her solace when she wanted to hurt those that had hurt her. Caster engaged her mind and focused her power. Lancer, aside from his quips and teasing, challenged her thinking and kept her grounded. And then she was left with Prototype.  
  
“Somehow I don’t think they would try to burn you alive,” Rin answered after a minute.  
  
“Nah, I’m pretty sure one or two would have leaped at the chance. I was too much of a wanderer though. Nothing like some of the other lancers I’ve run into.” The man leaned against her a little more, grinning. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure my mentor beat me… six, maybe seven times? I’m not sure. You know, now that I’m thinking about it, the whole beating thing is kind of a blur. I just remember pissing myself when she would come near for the following few days.”  
  
“You’re not funny.”  
  
But she was grinning at him slightly, earning one of the grins she was quickly becoming accustomed to seeing on all of the Cu Chulainns’ faces.  
  
“I wasn’t really tryin’ to make a joke, but if you found it funny then I regret nothing.”  
  
“You wouldn’t regret anything anyway.”  
  
A typical shrug came from him now, those red eyes gleaming. “Nothin’ to regret. Every step I’ve taken and every choice I’ve made has led me to here. And I’m not one to regret being able to have someone like you for a master.”  
  
There was no other choice but to turn her face away at that. He was teasing her again. No matter how hard she tried to learn how their teasing worked, she still found herself flustered. They didn’t really have a line that they kept behind. All of them were always so close. They were always touching her.  
  
They were always saying things that would make her whole body feel like it was burning in a different way.  
  
“Come on now,” he murmured, his hand going to her cheek. “What’s with the face? Do you not believe me?”  
  
“You and the other Cu Chulainns go too far with saying things like that. You don’t mean it.”  
  
“I don’t?”  
  
“Shirou- Ah, someone I associated with during the last war- he said things like that… Not really that, but similar.”  
  
“He was an idiot then,” Proto replied simply, cutting her off.  
  
“He was interested in myself and someone else. The someone else cared for him just a bit more.”  
  
And that was all she could say on the matter. She didn’t hate Saber, but it hurt. It was too much to watch right now. Shirou had used her for the war and then, once it had ended, he had turned away. They had grown apart quickly enough. Things had gone back to the way they had been. She had found herself in an empty house with nothing and no one.  
  
“You get the saddest look in your eyes,” Proto murmured, his hand still on her cheek. Those fingers stroked her cheek. “You’re gonna get sick thinking like that.”  
  
“What would you do, if someone you were close to grew apart from you?”  
  
His hand lowered. Biting his lip, the man leaned once more back against the bed. “What would I do…” He hummed, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed lightly as he continued to think aloud. “What would I do… I suppose the first thing I’d do is summon a servant. You already did that though. Several times at once. Good plan. Lancer’s a bossy shit and Berserker is fucking psycho.”  
  
She smacked him, shaking her head. “Lancer is not bossy.”  
  
“He’s bossier than our mentor was.” The man grabbed her hand, running his fingers over her knuckles before he held it captive against his chest. “But I was focused on answering you on what to do about that stubborn chest pain… Let’s see here. You summoned a very attractive servant. One who has great admiration and devotion to you.” His lips pressed against her hand. “And I mean, I am always welcome for distracting a young lass from heartbreak.”  
  
“Prototype.”  
  
“We’re alone.” His voice was so soft, his body just within arms’ length. “You can call me Cu Chulainn.” The grip on her hand tightened, the feeling of those warm hands against her fingers making her heart stutter in her chest.  
  
It was impossible to look away from his eyes. It was impossible to look away from any of her servants at this point. They had all spoken to her too much. They had all been too close, building a personal bond that was impossible to deny.  
  
“Just say it once,” Proto breathed. “Just for a minute. Let’s pretend like it’s just you and I in the whole damn world. Do you want to spend eternity thinking about someone who isn’t worthy of your time…” He stole her other hand, pulling her closer as he lifted her arm over his shoulder. “Or you could think of me. You could think of what’s happening right here.”  
  
“And what’s happening here?”  
  
She could barely get the words out, watching his fangs glint as he flashed another smile her way.  
  
“What’s happening here… I wonder…” His lips were a mere breath away. “Why don’t you tell me?”


	6. Chapter 6

The tension was thick when he found himself falling into the room.  
  
No, not falling.  
  
Falling would imply that a force had gotten him to a certain height and allowed gravity to set in. It would imply that he had allowed himself to be tossed helplessly onto the ground.  
  
No, what he had suffered was not falling.  
  
It was a pathetic summoning.  
  
Looking up, he could only confirm the suspicions as reality set in. The boy was wringing his hands awkwardly as he looked between himself and Saber.  
  
“You summoned a second servant?”  
  
“I wasn’t sure if it would work,” Shirou told him. “But Rin is missing.”  
  
“Rin is missing?”  
  
His mind was instantly on the woman. Perhaps it had been there the entire time. With the amount of power and passion that had been behind Rin Tohsaka, it was hard to forget her. Even between his summonings, he had come to think of little else. She had given him a closure he had not known he had needed.  
  
She had made him tolerant to the kid before himself, but that was now over.  
  
“I need more mana.”  
  
“I can’t give any more.” Shirou moved to sit down nearby. “I’m already tired.”  
  
“You expect me to work with this little?”  
  
“Shirou already spent a great deal summoning you,” Saber told him, patting Shirou’s shoulder. “Let me get you something to eat. You need to rest too. Maybe we’ll have more mana that way.”  
  
“No,” Archer looked between the two and frowned more. “I need a great deal more than some. I can’t fight like this.”  
  
“We aren’t expecting you to fight,” Shirou replied.  
  
But they were expecting him to find Rin.  
  
The unspoken task had been settled in as heavily as an anchor, leaving little choice in the matter. He could already see that he would need to complete this task quickly. What’s more, he would need to ask the woman to help rescue him once she was found. Recompense, truly, for being found when she was missing.  
  
Better powerful and set to work than summoned by a master that was having a hard time standing up straight.  
  
The boy collapsed, landing flat on the floor before him as Archer scoffed.  
  
“SHIROU!”  
  
“He’s overworked.”  
  
“He prepared for this.” Saber shook the boy, her eyes going to the circle. “I made him get extra sleep and store up mana for a few days before doing this. There’s no reason he should have collapsed.”  
  
She continued to shake him. Even as he stood there, she continued to try to get him to come to his senses. Yet he continued to be unconscious.  
  
Something… Slithered.  
  
There was no other word for it. Something slithered across his senses. As he watched Saber continue to try to wake Shirou, Archer found his sight going to black for a moment.  
  
“Someone is using mana.”  
  
“What?”  
  
He tilted his head, reaching out with his senses.  
  
There wasn’t just one, but there was only one he could sense. They hardly used mana, but the one that was attacking was making no signs of trying to hide what they were doing.  
  
“You need to get Shirou out of here,” Archer told the woman, moving towards the door. He inched it open, but the woman nearby was already getting on her feet, leaving Shirou to remain on the floor. Her weapon called to hand, she looked over at him.  
  
“They’re trying to attack my master too.”  
  
“Don’t mistake me, Saber. I’m not doing this on Shirou’s behalf. If they’re attacking Shirou, they may be the same people who attacked Rin.”  
  
Which made them the greatest chance to get to her.  
  
Pushing the door open more, Archer moved swiftly, aiming to get onto the roof.  
  
A circle appeared on the roof, knocking him onto the ground violently.  
  
“ARCHER!”  
  
Archer waved the damn woman off, watching her try to get to a safe location and be blasted against the side of the house. Her body collapsed immediately.  
  
Something crawled from the top of the house, landing on talon-like feet. Their tail swept back and forth, mana bursting forth from its every pore. Even as he remained stuck in place, he found those eyes looking over at him. Their face was impossible to see in the stormy weather, but those eyes. They glowed as the beast stared back at him.  
  
“Berserker.”  
  
A berserker capable of high level magic didn’t make much sense.  
  
It didn’t make any sense in all honesty.  
  
Still, it didn’t stop him from seeing those claws rake across the side of the building until it could grab Saber.  
  
He moved forth, running for the woman only to find his body thrown to the side. Something red flickered passed his face. Blood poured forth, landing across the stone pathway.  
  
The beast before him flashed a shark-like smile his way, holding up Saber by the neck and slamming her against the wall.  
  
Her eyes flickered open, but her body was frozen in place as symbols began to appear around her.  
  
They were overpowered, underprepared…  
  
They were fucked.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
“Hold on, Berserker. Caster.”  
  
A voice that was incredibly familiar rang out. The red he had seen a moment ago spun around before his eyes as the newcomer landed on his feet. A stream of blue hair landed silently on his back. The man stood up to his full height and his stomach bottomed out.  
  
Lancer.  
  
The man grinned over at him, “Didn’t expect the red Archer here of all places.”  
  
“Didn’t expect to be here.”  
  
The man spun his lance around, stopping it just in time to point it at him. Those eyes narrowed as he moved into a crouch. “You’re working with the boy and Saber then?”  
  
“You’re not.”  
  
He didn’t bother making it a question. There was no need. The man’s tone alone made it obvious that he was not.  
  
“I would never work with someone who would wish harm on my current master... Our master,” he corrected, hearing a growl from the beast nearby.  
  
He said that strongly.  
  
There was little choice then. Archer pulled at the little amount of mana that Shirou was providing him, summoning his swords to hand. “Then I suppose this makes us enemies.”  
  
The man shrugged lightly, his body at the ready.  
  
Archer lunged for him, swinging around the swords only for the mana toll to kick in. His body, rather than striking and moving as he wished, fell to the ground violently. His sight went away long enough that Lancer didn’t have to try. He threw him down easily. Pathetically.  
  
He coughed again, looking up at the man as the lance pressed against his neck.  
  
“ARCHER!”  
  
Shirou’s voice called out, the boy running towards him. He threw his sword ahead, giving him the chance to duck away from death’s final blow from Lancer’s weapon. But another figure leaped down from the roof. Shirou was thrown to the ground, his body held in place as runes lit up the air around them.  
  
And it went on.  
  
Saber would get up, her weapon in hand as she would try to knock the beast away long enough to help Shirou. Archer tried to free up Saber, fighting off Lancer’s playful excuse of an attack.  
  
He didn’t try.  
  
He didn’t need to.  
  
They were being played with, their mana draining violently as they stepped onto magic set in place across the property. Whenever he felt like he had something back, he found himself thrown down, beaten. Lancer didn’t make it a quick death.  
  
And Shirou…  
  
They were being tortured. Their bodies being slashed and cut. Shirou’s body was being drained of all power as he tried to fight back.  
  
The hooded Caster stepped onto his arms, continuing his work as both himself and Saber tried desperately to get close enough to help him.  
  
The beast’s hood dropped, catching his attention as Archer found himself thrown onto the ground again.  
  
Two Lancers.  
  
He looked towards the Caster and found his eyes widening.  
  
Three.  
  
There were three of the bloody things.  
  
“You see what’s happening now, don’t you?” Lancer grinned, moving in. Archer found himself choking, his heart beginning to fail him as Shirou continued to be sucked dry.  
  
“There’s three of you.”  
  
“Four actually, but one of us had to stay with master.” Lancer shrugged his shoulders, moving in closer. “After all, we don’t know the details just yet.”  
  
“D…details…?”  
  
The man moved in close, those red eyes looking him over as he heard Saber let out a scream nearby. The man slammed his blade into his side, letting it settle in nice and deep before he began to speak.  
  
“Your master set my master’s home ablaze. He let her burn in the fire and almost die. Since you seem to be working with him, I want to know who else was involved. Berserker confirmed there was someone else involved. I want to know who and where.”  
  
He could feel his throat clogging up as he tried to breathe. Looking up, he could remember when he had been Shirou, when he had felt this lance pierce him before.  
  
“Who and where,” the man repeated, twisting the blade in his chest.  
  
“W-who is your master?”  
  
“You mean you can’t feel it?” The man’s tone was nothing less than condescending. “Were you that indifferent to her that you can’t tell whose mana is coursing through my veins?” He leaned close, smile reappearing as he murmured softly. “Then again, you did betray her.”  
  
Rin.  
  
She was alive…  
  
He couldn’t breathe as the man backed up. His mind processing through the information.  
  
“Shirou tried to kill Rin?”  
  
“He did.”  
  
His past self had tried to kill the woman he had- He couldn’t think through the thought. It was impossible. Yet, the three servants were standing around, attacking them on Rin’s behalf…  
  
“She was burned?”  
  
“Nothing I can’t handle.”  
  
There would be scars though. She wouldn’t be able to function the same way she had before.  
  
The lance continued to move in his body as Lancer tugged it. The pain splintered across his senses, killing his train of thought as the agony set in.  
  
“Rin…”  
  
The pain doubled as Lancer twisted the blade. “I need the name of the other person who tried to attack my master.”  
  
He felt the blood come up as he coughed. His vision swam as Lancer became irate.  
  
“THE NAME!”  
  
Another voice rang out as Archer felt his vision go to black.  
  
“Let me try this one, Lancer.”  
  
“Or we could always force their master to tell us,” a third voice suggested.  
  
“Do both,” the man close to him suggested.  
  
Mana bloomed in front of him. Pure, unfiltered power. It overflowed from the man. It seeped across his senses, just beyond his reach. The three servants were like radiant beacons with the way their mana seemed to pulsate.  
  
He had never felt anything like it. Not since…  
  
“Master.” The three voices said it in unison.  
  
“We left him alone with her,” the third voice from before called.  
  
“I’ll kill the kid,” the beast snapped.  
  
“These three are useless. Let’s leave ‘em and go back.”  
  
“Kill ‘em and go,” Berserker told them.  
  
Saber’s scream ended abruptly.  
  
The world went to darkness. The voices were gone. Archer felt the lance leave his body, but they didn’t kill him.  
  
They didn’t need to.  
  
When he found himself capable of opening his eyes, Archer stared up at the heavens. His mind raced through what information he had gained. His master had tried to kill Rin. He had not only gone against what he had set out to do during the war, but he had gone to such an opposite end.  
  
He lifted himself up, looking across the distance to where Shirou lay in the dirt. He didn’t want to know how Saber was doing. Part of him was incapable of seeing it. Better to focus on those alive.  
  
If Shirou had gone against Rin…  
  
No, but he wouldn’t bother to ask. Lancer was with Rin. He needed to speak to Rin himself.  
  
He pulled himself to his feet, moving across the distance to where the boy lay. “Shirou…”  
  
The kid opened his eyes, coughing violently. He looked up at him though, trying to focus.  
  
“Release me from your command.”  
  
“You won’t have mana.”  
  
“Release me from your command. You won’t heal and be able to save Saber if you don’t.”  
  
“I just… summoned… you.”  
  
Archer pressed his foot to one of the wounds, watching the blood pool. As the pain began to set in, Archer watched the kid raise his hand.  
  
“I command you to find another master, Archer. I command you to no longer be my servant.”  
  
The two commands took effect immediately, the little trickle of power leaving him quickly enough. Archer took his foot off the kid and knelt down, pressing a hand to the boy’s shoulder.  
  
“Let me give you some advice, Emiya Shirou. If you did attack Rin like the Lancers think you did, heal Saber and run. They will find you. They are ready to kill you. And I’m willing to let them.”  
  
The boy began to seeze, unable to reply.  
  
“I happened to love my master, boy.” Archer growled, ignoring the biting pain as his wounds began to let themselves be more known. “I love Rin Tohsaka.”  
  
He turned away as Shirou continued to struggle, holding his chest as he looked towards the city.  
  
First he would need to find a way to heal the wounds he had been given.  
  
Then, when he could function, he would find Rin. He would find her and he would help Lancer, Berserker, and Caster to the best of his ability. If they wanted to kill the boy and Saber, then he would help them.  
  
Anyone who meant to harm his master deserved to die.  
  
Even himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Prototype had taken his time.  
  
Even as the rain had lightly pattered against the window and the room was cast in shadows, Rin still found herself feeling exposed and in the spotlight. Every time she moved, he was there. Every time another inch of her body was revealed, his lips pressed against it.  
  
She lost herself in the feeling. She lost herself in him, honestly.  
  
The smile he held as he kissed her and pulled back made her chest flutter. His low murmurs brought a flushed, warm feeling to her body.  
  
He tugged the nightgown from her body, letting it be cast off to one side of the bed before her socks were next. He slipped his thumbs underneath, stroking down her legs as he would remove them. Just at her toes, he would tilt his head, kissing her ankle as the last bit of material would be removed from her feet.  
  
“Cu.” The name came out softly, bringing those eyes to hers. His lips pressed against hers once. Twice. He settled his lips against hers and Rin found her air gone. She couldn’t breathe and had no wish to begin to again.  
  
She wrapped her bare legs around his waist, pulling him in closer. She could feel the armor that covered him gone. His body was exposed to her as much as her soul was exposed to him. Her fingers tangled into shorter hair as his fingers reached between them, touching her center.  
  
Lightly, lovingly, he stroked her.  
  
“Cu-“  
  
“You’re so much more than I had thought you would be,” he told her. “Do you have any idea just how you feel right now?”  
  
“Cu Chulainn…” She wanted to get after him for that. He was talking too much. They were just- She wasn’t sure what they were doing. The tension had gone up between them quickly enough, his touching going too far.  
  
“Let me pleasure you,” he pleaded. “I want you to know what you do to me.”  
  
She cupped his face in her hands, feeling his lips press against them next.  
  
“Please, my sweet master…”  
  
“Do it then.”  
  
The bravado in the voice that told him that was something greater than herself. Surely, under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have been so brave. She wasn’t sure why she felt so flawless under him.  
  
Yet she felt so powerful.  
  
This muscled, almighty servant was worshiping her. There was no other word for it. His body was so warm, his touch scorching against her skin, feeling her every curve.  
  
His short hair came loose to hang around his shoulders. Those lips she had felt a moment prior returned to hers, claiming and taking. She lost herself in the feeling of it all, closing her eyes and lying back against the pillows.  
  
He pressed a hand against the bed, the other slipping a finger into her body.  
  
“You’re-“  
  
“Do it,” Rin breathed, looking up at him.  
  
She had been around them all for days, having them all so close. All of them teasing her in their own way. They had embarrassed her again and again, bringing her to a blushing, overheated mess again and again.  
  
It was too much for anyone to be able to stand without some kind of side effect.  
  
“I will be gentle,” he told her, slipping another finger in, bringing out a moan from her lips.  
  
“Cu.”  
  
“I have wanted to be with you… in you… for so long,” he breathed.  
  
He was so much like Lancer.  
  
He wore that same face. He spoke the same way. She couldn’t do anything other than cling to him as she saw Lancer in his face and touch. When his lips pressed to hers again, Rin welcomed them greedily. His fingers moved out of her, his cock taking their place.  
  
He slammed into her, her body tightening around him as he invaded. The scream on her lips was swallowed up. Her air gone as she found him taking over it all. She was the servant in this scenario, taking whatever her master would give. And he gave liberally, beginning a pace that made the world around her body fade to black. She could only see those eyes. That face. She could only hear the sound of their bodies slamming together, the sound of his voice as he murmured to her.  
  
Everything was Lancer. Every single damn thing.  
  
And it wasn’t enough of him. It wasn’t nearly enough.  
  
Her nails ran down his shoulders, lightheaded euphoria settling in as she bucked her hips in time to his movements. She made him move faster, tightening her muscles below only for the man to hiss.  
  
“Do that again,” he commanded.  
  
The demand set off like a command spell to her mind. Instantly, she tried to replicate what she had done, feeling his body shudder against her.  
  
“Gods,” he breathed. “Dear gods.”  
  
Rin closed her eyes.  
  
It had been too long since she had done this. She didn’t… She couldn’t continue.  
  
The climax swept through her in waves, a warmth flooding her system as the man came violently against her. Her body was pressed against his chest, hands holding her to him.  
  
“Lancer…”  
  
The class name slipped out, echoing in the room as the man continued to hold her. A stiffness settled in, his hold loosening as Rin held on. She cupped his cheeks and returned her lips to his, taking her time to try to kiss him.  
  
But he pulled back, holding her hands as he pulled them off.  
  
“Lancer?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“You just said Lancer.”  
  
Rin paused, staring up at him. Her mind slowly clicking into place. “Ah-I’m sorry-“  
  
“Shh,” Proto held a finger to her lips. “I should have guessed. You were very quick to go ahead and jump my bones.”  
  
“Prototype-“  
  
“Shhhhh,” he shushed her again, stopping her from trying to comfort him. His lips pressed lightly to hers. “You still care for me. You don’t have to say anything.”  
  
“But-“  
  
Proto kissed her again, moving his lips against hers until she closed her eyes, surrendering once again. When he pulled back, he shook his head. “I lost to myself, but that’s alright. I can still reap the benefits. I can still love you. If that’s the case, my future self can own what happens in that chest of yours.”  
  
She felt her face burning again, her arms wrapping around him nonetheless.  
  
“It’s not like that,” she insisted quietly.  
  
“It is, but you can believe what you want.”  
  
Pressing her face against him more, Rin shook her head. It was useless to argue with him. Clearly, he would just say something else. Prototype was insistent on the last word on the matter.  
  
The rain worsened outside, Rin’s eyes going to the window to watch for a while.  
  
Somewhere out there, her other three servants were hunting down who had harmed her. They were trying to find the person and they were going to try to make a move. Vaguely, she thought about what she had just done with Prototype.  
  
While sex with servants and other magus usually allowed them to share power, even increase the amount of mana; she wasn’t sure if it meant that the other servants got energy as well. Would they have been given some extra capability? Would they be alright?  
  
“Rin.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Proto grinned, his hands roaming along one of her legs. As he did so, she could feel him lifting it up higher. “I just thought of something: you’re healing more, aren’t you?”  
  
“A little more all the time. Why?”  
  
“If we had tried that a couple days ago, you would have been in agony. Instead you’re lying here, trying to think of a way to make me feel better for loving my future self more.” The self-satisfied smile on his face made her roll her eyes.  
  
“I would have been alright.”  
  
He hummed skeptically.  
  
“I would have!”  
  
One of those hands slipped back up her leg, back to the space between. The squeak that left her lips was unavoidable.  
  
Prototype leaned over her again, his lips pressing to hers lightly. Once. Twice.  
  
A half dozen times and she was closing her eyes, giving a deep hum of appreciation at the feeling. He knew how to distract her. There was no doubt of that.  
  
“PROTOTYPE!”  
  
Rin pulled away as the name was screamed through the building. The sound of storming feet through the household echoed all the way through the open bedroom door, making her scramble for the sheets as the man holding her sighed and pulled away.  
  
“They felt it too then… That’s going to be fun.”  
  
“Felt it?”  
  
Proto threw her a grin. “Well, there was a lot of mana that flowed from ya a bit ago. They must not have been far.”  
  
Berserker made it to the room first, landing on all fours as he threw himself into the room. Those red eyes took in everything. The thrown clothing, the smell of sex in the air, her tussled state of being, Prototype’s naked person.  
  
Now clothed, as Prototype quickly materialized a shirt and pants on.  
  
“Rin!” Lancer barreled through the door with Caster at his heels, leaping onto the bed rather than walking over.  
  
“Cu! You’re soaking wet! You’re drenched!” Rin pushed at his hands, but there was no getting away from him. She had to give in as Caster yanked the sheet off and the two were beginning a thorough inspection.  
  
Meanwhile, Prototype was being hauled out, yanked along violently by Berserker.  
  
“Does anywhere hurt?”  
  
“Rin, focus!”  
  
“Can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up?”  
  
“Rin!”  
  
“I’m fine!” Rin pushed them both away. “Go stop Berserker from killing Prototype. I’m fine!”  
  
“Caster,” Lancer looked over at him, wrapping his still soaking wet person around her body. “Go stop the man, although let him have a few minutes. He shouldn’t have been doing that.”  
  
“I’ll get them.” Caster hovered for a moment, looking at her worriedly.  
  
“I’m fine, Caster.” Rin smiled gently, pushing a little more at Lancer. “I swear it. I managed to walk to the bathroom myself and everything today. I think I’m about healed entirely, if not to a stronger point.”  
  
He nodded, turning away and hurrying out.  
  
“I felt that mana,” Lancer breathed, hugging her to himself tighter. “Geez, woman. I felt nothing like it. I thought for sure you were giving out a last breath or something.”  
  
“Just- ah… I was just here with Prototype. We had a bit of a moment… although I ruined it.”  
  
“It didn’t feel that way.” Lancer argued, kissing her gently. His face was slightly different now that she had been so close to Prototype. It was slightly more matured, slightly more rough against her hands. And his eyes- well, they were more serious. The playfulness that was ever present was gone.  
  
With his hair wet, it was easier to tell he was an older version of the man she had just slept with.  
  
Those eyes studied her closely before he shook his head, leaning in closer. “Don’t look at me like that, Rin. I can’t promise to be any better than Prototype.”  
  
“Then I’ll be content with whatever happens with you.”  
  
“Dangerous words,” he told her, sealing her lips for a moment. Deeper, hungrier. He kissed like he had never been able to keep anything. He kissed like he was starved for any kind of attention. Her Lancer. “You’re going to get us all killed by Berserker.”  
  
The man pulled back, stroking her cheek.  
  
“When we return from your first walk about, then I will continue this. I want to see you walk before I dare what Prototype risked. I won’t be as gentle as him. I’ll be better though.”  
  
She turned her face away, feeling her body burning already. “If you’re not going to, then give me back my sheets and get something dry on. You’ll get sick running around soaking wet.”  
  
He chuckled, kissing her once more before he pulled away and began to pull clothing from the dresser nearby. He easily changed, glancing over his shoulder and teasing her until she was just closing her eyes, lying on her back again.  
  
“You went out today… Did you find anything?”  
  
“Nothing new.”  
  
Shameful. Rin shook her head. “They’ll try to attack again once they realize I’m not dead. When they come at me another time-“  
  
“I won’t use you as bait.”  
  
“You don’t have to. They’ll just have to attack me upfront. We’ll kill them when they come at me a second time.”  
  
The man climbed onto the bed, wrapping his arms around her tightly. His lips pressed against her neck. “I don’t like it. I want to kill them all before you leave this room.”  
  
“I know you do, but we can’t just attack without planning and getting good evidence.”  
  
“We’ll find them soon enough.”  
  
Rin rolled them both over, resting on his chest. “We will. Together though. I am sick of this room.”  
  
“Your home will be done soon.”  
  
She grinned. “You all work quick.”  
  
“The joys of being servants. Unlimited energy and strength to an obnoxious degree. You should see our stamina in bed… Prototype excluded.”  
  
“Be nice to him. He’s a younger you.”  
  
“All the more embarrassing to see,” Lancer drawled, his hand running through her hair. His expression softened as he looked at her, his hand moving to her cheek. “It’s good to see you able bodied again, Rin.”  
  
“It’s good to be back. I didn’t think I would be for a while there.”  
  
The man just grinned. “Celtic magic. The best in the world.”


	8. Chapter 8

It took another two weeks to find a way to get mana. He killed. He wasn’t proud of it, but they were dying. Mugged. The mana was up for the taking.  
  
After that, it took him three days to find the Rin’s house and find the lancers.  
  
Three long days, running on little mana and hiding from any wandering eyes as he waited outside of the Tohsaka residence. Or what had been rebuilt. While the building looked similar to what it had been before, the brighter brick, newly laid mortar, and deeply embedded mana used around the property made it apparent that someone- someone particularly skilled in magic- had rebuilt the house. Signs of the fire were apparent in the trees around the house.  
  
It was apparent in everything around the residence from what he could see. The ground around the building showed signs of the flames. The greenery, usually thick and lush around the residence, was burned away into ashes. At this point, seeing the front door was actually possible.  
  
The indications showed signs of a large fire, one that would have killed anyone inside.  
  
The fact that Rin had survived the fire was a feat in and of itself. To think she had summoned Lancer in multiple forms… Well, she had gained a great deal more power. What’s more, she was utilizing her abilities to protect herself.  
  
Archer settled himself in an alcove nearby, covering himself with a dark sheet from a nearby clothesline. It was mundane enough that no one would think him more than a wanderer, but cover enough that he could remain for hours.  
  
And so he did, watching and waiting.  
  
Unlike before, he didn’t need to hunt too far to find the lancers. They were repairing the house. If that was the case, they would need to continue their work, finish it for whatever purpose they were given. Therefore, all he needed to do was wait.  
  
The Caster appeared first. His light blue jacket a sore thumb in the rainy but warm weather. He moved swiftly to the property, crossing the line a moment before he spoke to Lancer. Lancer followed after him, yawning slightly as he replied and stretched. They seemed amicable, but he needed to wait before speaking to them. They needed to run down their energy, get through what they needed to do. He could speak to them when they were about to head back to where they had Rin.  
  
“Archer.”  
  
The voice growled his name, sending a piercing and involuntary shot of ice up his veins. He didn’t need to look to know who it was.  
  
They had seen him after all.  
  
“I’m here to speak with you all,” Archer told the beast, holding up both his hands in a gesture of peace. “I was summoned moments before you appeared and told that I would need to locate Rin.”  
  
A set of claws went over his shoulder, shoving him back against a wall. Those red eyes gleamed, feeling as though they were piercing straight to his soul. At any other time, he would have attacked. It felt like a fight of flight situation.  
  
And yet it wouldn’t help him find Rin.  
  
“You found a boar,” Lancer’s voice purred, the man entering the ally with Caster behind him. “Well done, Berserker.”  
  
“I’m here to talk, as I was telling Berserker.” He let the sheet drop, looking between them all. They were close, too close. He wasn’t fond of that fact.  
  
“Well?”  
  
“You said the house burned down. Do you know how?”  
  
“We’re working on that.”  
  
“Do you know anyone that would have wanted to attack Rin? Do you know why Shirou attacked Rin?”  
  
“We don’t and we don’t care about that other bit. Hearing the boy telling his servant about her burning in the fire was enough,” Lancer replied smoothly, crossing his arms.  
  
Archer couldn’t help the bitter smile that came to his lips. As usual, the idiot was all about the fighting. He paid little attention to the why or how of it all. He was just here to kill or be killed. That didn’t help Rin at all.  
  
“I don’t like him,” Berserker growled.  
  
“You don’t have to like me.” Archer returned his attention to Lancer. He seemed like their leader in this whole mess. “I was Rin’s servant before, during the war. I have no interest in serving another master, especially one weak and incapable. I know Rin. Since I am without a master, I would like to request to see her, to ask her to allow me to be one of her servants.”  
  
“We have no intention of taking you to our master,” Caster replied easily.  
  
“Is she injured?”  
  
“Irrelevant.”  
  
“Was she injured?”  
  
“Irrelevant,” the mage replied again, turning away. “We have work to do.”  
  
“Lancer,” Archer turned his attention back to the man. “I’m a long range fighter. You have Berserker and Caster. Useful. Powerful in their own rights, but still closer combat than I am. There is other uses for me. I’m an extra hand in whomever is trying to harm your master. If someone is trying to attack from afar, it would be better for us to work alongside one another.”  
  
The man sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Ya see, I get that… That makes good sense, but I just don’t like ya.”  
  
“What would Rin say?”  
  
It was a cheap shot, one that didn’t need a response. Berserker just rolled his eyes, moving after Caster. Effectively, he had been labeled as useless. Not strong enough to be an enemy, but too untrustable to be an ally.  
  
“Rin commanded me to listen to her orders and follow them,” he tried, watching the man carefully. “I still feel that command spell.”  
  
“You would kill Emiya Shirou?”  
  
“Instantly.”  
  
“And Saber?”  
  
He had to hesitate. Even as he heard the man tssk, it was impossible to say yes immediately. He forced himself to nod.  
  
“That’s not an answer.”  
  
“I would.”  
  
“Then you’re disloyal,” the man replied, turning away.  
  
“Lancer!” He grabbed the other’s shoulder, turning him to listen. “Give me the chance to speak to her. Five minutes. If she does not want me, I will leave. I will fight as your extra weapon for no other reason than loyalty to my original master.”  
  
“Our master was attacked and you want us to simply stroll her out to you?” Caster snorted, “I’d rather kill you myself and leave the remains for her to sort out.”  
  
“If Shirou has betrayed her, then I want to make sure she understands that she has allies. She’s all about support and allies. She plans. She thinks things through.”  
  
Berserker took a step closer, weapon appearing. His eyes flashed before Caster was rushing to his side. The hand that would have struck out towards him quickly was held back. Lancer turning only to growl loudly.  
  
“Damn it, boy. Can you do nothing?!”  
  
“Don’t get after him. I asked him to come with me.”  
  
Her voice had matured, if only slightly. As Caster got out of the way, he could see the last Lancer, his armor more modern as he kept one arm slung over Rin’s shoulders. At Rin’s words, the three others shifted, no doubt feeling torn between killing the fourth lancer or coveting Rin away.  
  
“Rin, you’re still healing.”  
  
“I got here.” Rin grinned, her grip stark white as she held onto the man next to her. “Besides, you all forgot about regular clothes. What do you think I’m going to wear when I wander outside?”  
  
They hadn’t.  
  
Archer stood up a bit more, wiping some of the grime from his face as he looked at the woman. If he had wanted the chance to speak to her, this was as good as it would get.  
  
“Rin.”  
  
“Archer?” Rin raised a brow at him, brushing back a bit of her hair. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I was summoned… and abandoned.” Somewhat.  
  
The tension between the duplicate lancers was palpable. Making things clearer. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what they had omitted from telling their master.  
  
“Your master… Were they killed?”  
  
“Badly beaten, but my understanding is vague on their welfare. Personally, I would hope they are dead, given their actions.”  
  
Rin leaned as subtly as possible against the young looking lancer, nodding. “They caused the fire?”  
  
“So I understand.”  
  
She nodded. “You said they abandoned you?”  
  
“Difference on opinion.”  
  
Rin nodded again.  
  
Before he could say anything more, the berserker pushed his way forward, snarling lightly as his arms wrapped around Rin’s frame and pulled her into his arms. She held his shoulders, smacking him as he forced her off her feet.  
  
“You can’t stand around like this,” the man complained.  
  
“I could if I tried. I need to practice. I won’t get back on my feet laying around in bed.”  
  
He grunted.  
  
“Rin,” Archer moved forward, kneeling down. “Since I am masterless, you can understand that I would like to return to having a master.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“Then you understand what I’m asking.”  
  
They all knew what he was asking. Judging by the discomfort and looks of distain on the servants around him, there was little doubt that they all understood.  
  
“Rin,” the younger lancer wrapped his arm more tightly around her waist. “We should get back.”  
  
“Hold on,” Rin took a step forward, immediately earning Berserker’s arm under her shoulder. The man held her up, letting her stand yet lifting her enough that she wasn’t using her legs for much of any support.  
  
Her legs must have been burned. It would explain their reluctance to let her walk or stand. Perhaps her feet were burned.  
  
It was impossible to tell with her body hidden away by thigh highs and her skirt. The coat she had wrapped around her wasn’t helping either, but it was clear that the coat was lancer’s, not hers. Rin leaned her body into Berserker’s slightly before looking over at him.  
  
“You want to be my servant again.”  
  
“You told me I would have to beg the next time I saw you.”  
  
A soft smile; she hadn’t changed a bit.  
  
“I was pointing out to your servants that you have no long range defense. Caster is your best choice for that kind of thing and even he has limits on distance.”  
  
He would avoid mentioning the fight the other night. He had underestimated Lancer’s capabilities. All of them.  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“You don’t have the energy,” Caster pointed out. “You’re still focused on recovering, Rin. To take on another servant would interfere with what the runes and your mana are focusing on. You still have mana circuits to heal and muscle strength to restore.”  
  
“That’s fine.” Rin shook her head. “I don’t need to make you my servant right now. If you want to be my servant again, you can earn it.” She pulled an object from her neck and looked up at Berserker, her expression softening. “Let me at least walk over to him, Cu.”  
  
Cu?  
  
Archer could only stare as the beast tsked, letting her go but releasing her slowly. His touch lingered near her back, his tail curling around her leg as she took a step away.  
  
“Alter, let me do this.”  
  
Another slight growl, but the man turned that glare to him, making Archer stare back. The man wasn’t human. Surely no one human could give off such belligerence.  
  
Rin moved forward slowly, the shaking in her legs more noticeable now. Without holding onto one of the lancers, she had to support herself. More importantly, he could see what Caster had spoken of. The faintest traces of writing was on her legs, barely noticeable between the fabrics of her clothes. The fact that they were able to be seen at all was no doubt from his training as a magus.  
  
She reached up, tying the necklace in place around his neck.  
  
And once again, Archer found himself amazed. Her power flowed, thick and unending, through his veins. It lit up every bit of his body, revitalizing what had been dormant since his summoning. To say she was a strong magus was an understatement. She had improved immensely from the last time he had seen her. She had become a powerhouse of energy.  
  
For the first time in a long while, Archer found himself ready to fight.  
  
Little wonder the lancers around him were defending her so zealously. Had she been his master and been burned, he would have hoarded her away as well, killing whomever was needing to be killed.  
  
“Once I’m healed and you’ve proven yourself, you can form a contract with me,” Rin told him, taking a step back. Her body was quickly picked up by Lancer himself, the man holding her in his arms.  
  
“May I?” Archer held out his arms.  
  
“You have energy. You got to say your piece,” Lancer motioned towards the house, “You, Berserker, and Prototype can work on the house. Caster and I are taking Rin back.”  
  
“I am not a carpenter.”  
  
“Neither are we,” the younger lancer replied. “I thought we had gotten through why I should be watching Rin.”  
  
“We did, then you decided to let her take a stroll without getting one of us,” Lancer motioned for Caster. “Come on, Caster.”  
  
“Rin.” Berserker moved forward, pressing his face lightly against hers. The man murmured softly before Rin shook her head.  
  
“It’s fine, Alter.” Rin pressed a hand to his other cheek, keeping her face to his. “If it comes down to it, I trust you to make the decisions that I would hesitate to make.”  
  
Lancer moved away, Caster stealing the bags at young lancer’s feet before he followed after the man. In the next minute, they were gone.  
  
“Come on,” Berserker motioned them towards the house. “We need to get started.”  
  
“What have you accomplished?”  
  
“The roof and walls are up. The wiring we had Caster persuade someone to put together. At this point, we need to finish with the interior things.”  
  
“Interior things?”  
  
“Hand.”  
  
Archer stared at the beast, having followed him to the edge of the property.  
  
“Just do what he asks,” younger lancer complained, yawning slightly. “He has to get you through the barrier and he just needs to cut your hand.”  
  
Holding out his hand, Archer sliced it himself. Better that way, since he didn’t quite trust the man before him not to kill him. The wound was already healing as Berserker began to alternate the barrier around the house.  
  
It was impressive, all things considered. Lancer and his doppelgangers had accomplished a great amount during the time that it had taken for Shirou to both find out that Rin was possibly still alive and summon him to find her. The house itself was almost exactly like it had been before as well, showing a knowledge that they would have had a hard time gleaning from Rin’s descriptions.  
  
He remembered her explanation capabilities. Being able to describe her home down to the exact wall colors was herculean.  
  
Berserker motioned them inside, locking the door behind them before he glanced around. “We were working on Rin’s room and the study. You can either help Prototype sand and oil the bookshelves in the study or work with me on finishing the work on the baseboards around Rin’s room.”  
  
“What are you doing with the baseboards?”  
  
“Runework,” Prototype replied easily. “Berserker and Caster have been obsessively focused on creating runework along the baseboards of all the rooms to prevent future fires. Not even the basement is lacking in runes.”  
  
“I’ll assist with whatever would be more useful for me.”  
  
“You might as well go with him then,” Proto replied. He turned away easily and headed up the stairs.  
  
“If you skimp on anything in that study, Proto,” Berserker began.  
  
“Don’t get your pigment in your eyes, Berserker,” the man called back, “I’ll get it done right. You’re just still pissed off because our master now has let me see her body more times than the rest of you.”  
  
There was little he could do as Berserker headed up the stairs after the kid, leaving him no choice but to follow in his wake. Sure enough, as he looked around, Archer could see carvings along every inch of the baseboards. The railing and bannisters held the same symbols. The light fixtures gleamed strangely in each of the rooms, leaving him with little doubt that something had been done to them as well.  
  
They had gone above and beyond in rebuilding the house.  
  
Impressively beyond.  
  
“Is that a sun,” Archer asked, motioning towards a tapestry that had definitely not been in the house before.  
  
“Caster’s work.” Berserker looked at it, shaking his head. “Thinks we should make sure the gods themselves protect the house. Best to start with the one that owes us one.”  
  
“How does the sun owe you one?”  
  
Berserker just looked at him, the red runes around his eyes looking more like signs of fatigue than anything else. “Read a damn book, Red.”  
  
The man was nothing like the Lancer that he had met during the last war. Even as they walked into Rin’s room, Archer found himself debating over whether or not this man could possibly be related to the Lancer he had met before.  
  
They went to work on the baseboards, Berserker pulling out a cigarette as he settled into a sitting position and got started. As he carved, Archer was in charge of sweeping up the chunks and slivers of wood as they fell. He oiled the handiwork as Berserker moved along.  
  
Slowly, mind-numbingly, they worked.  
  
When he wasn’t needed to sweep up the bits and pieces of spare wood, Archer looked around the room, noting the changes that had been decided upon.  
  
“Rin’s bed is much larger than before.”  
  
“Lancer’s idea.”  
  
“You can’t sleep with her.”  
  
Berserker’s eyes flickered over to him for a moment, taking in that statement before he shook his head. “She’s already slept with Prototype. We’re all still ready to kill him, but Master told Caster to stop me last time. Doubt she will resist any of the rest of us. So long as she gives me the energy I desire, she can decide however she wants me.”  
  
“She’s still healing, isn’t she?”  
  
“Aye,” the beast nodded, motioning for him to sweep again. “Hence us wanting to kill Proto. Ruins my efforts at increasing that mana. The stupid move on his part could have cost us another few more weeks of healing if he hadn’t been gentle. As it was, he still slowed progress. Ruined some of her damn energy.”  
  
“Yet you all still trusted him to watch her today.”  
  
“Lancer’s decision. He talked to the boy for a few minutes before telling us to leave him with her today. Apparently, he liked something he heard.”  
  
“And you didn’t stop him?”  
  
The man shrugged. “Don’t care in the end. He wants to help protect our master. Once she’s healed, she’ll be using me to kill our enemies. So his ends get to my ends. He can do what he likes.”  
  
“Rin won’t be able to fully recognize her room when she sees all the changes.”  
  
“Sensible changes. Besides, none of us wanted to bring back her room to its former state, not since this is where the fires got her.”  
  
“We figured, if we changed up the room and what it looked like, she could just kinda start over. She wouldn’t have the memories of being burned every time she looked around,” Prototype piped up from the doorway. “The study’s done. We just need to get the furniture now.”  
  
“That’s yours and Caster’s job.”  
  
“I could assist with that,” Archer pointed out. “I lived with Rin for a fair amount of time. I could tell you what would be similar to what she had owned before.”  
  
“We’ve done most of the purchasing.”  
  
“With what money?” Archer looked around again. “I don’t understand how you’ve all managed this much-“  
  
“Caster.” Prototype motioned around. “Magic is a useful thing, I guess. I won’t argue it when Caster managed to slip into some hospitals and promise cures to some ailments that shouldn’t have cures. He’s gone what- five or six times? The regular humans there paid him obnoxiously, even recommended a few places for getting some of the repairs done and supplies.”  
  
“What about if someone followed Caster?”  
  
“I took care of the few that tried after Caster,” Berserker replied. “There were only two. After that, no one dared after Caster. He still took a long path back.”  
  
Prototype motioned at him, grinning. “See? It’s fine.”  
  
“You all have no problems with leaving one of you with her longer than the others?”  
  
“In the end we’re all the same person.” Prototype grinned, “Whether Master wants to remain with Berserker or Lancer or Caster or myself longer doesn’t matter in the end. Each one of us is just working down the barriers.”  
  
“Barriers?”  
  
“Enough.” Berserker stood up, having finished the last bit of baseboard. “It’s been long enough. Since Master took Caster, let’s head back and get him. You, Archer, and Caster can find the last bits of furniture.”  
  
“It’s almost the end of the day for stores.”  
  
“That’s when we shop,” Proto replied. “We aren’t exactly normal looking, except Rin.” The man looked over at Berserker. “She wants to go shopping again tomorrow. Said something about getting more clothes.”  
  
“I saw the number of bags she had. She has enough clothing for right now.”  
  
“I’m just telling you what she said.”  
  
“Since you’re part of the team at this point, then you might as well come with us.” Berserker motioned for him to follow. “We’ve been staying at Einsbern Manor.”  
  
“The place is in disrepair.”  
  
“Mostly. Makes a good place to hide away. No one would expect anyone to be living there. No one even comes to look.”  
  
Still, to take her to another place where she had foul memories…  
  
Archer followed after the duo, ignoring the taunts from the younger lancer as they moved through the cityscape. The longer that they wandered, the stranger their path became. Rather than a straightforward path, they headed around the temple, towards the water and then around the bay. The short trip became longer, with the two men stopping at times.  
  
By the time they saw signs of the manor in the woods, Archer was covered in sweat, panting heavily. He approached the door behind the two and took the moment it took for them to unlock the door to try to slow his heartbeat.  
  
The manor had been overgrown, but otherwise looked the same as before.  
  
“Alter! Proto!” Rin’s voice rang out as soon as the door was open. The woman was all but sprinting into Berserker’s arms as Archer shut the door.  
  
“Runnin’ already, huh?”  
  
“I have to practice and Lancer made me agree to not run unless I run to someone.”  
  
Odd to see her openly welcoming touch and close relationships. The woman he had grown to know had been more reserved in that regard, opting to avoid anything intimate like that.  
  
War made people change in many ways.  
  
“Finally, a damn rule that I can get behind.” Proto held open his arms. “Come on, Rin.”  
  
She raised a brow at him, the smile changing as she shook her head at him. “What on earth are you doing, Proto?”  
  
“Come on, we have to train ya. Run on into my arms-OI!”  
  
Berserker was already walking off, carrying Rin in tow as he went. Rin looked up at him as they went, beginning a quiet conversation as they went. Or rather, she was doing the talking. Berserker merely nodded here and there, going in the direction of another room.  
  
“Pisses me off every damn time,” Lancer remarked. Archer frowned at him, unable to do much else when he hadn’t heard the man approach. “The man talks about using her like some kind of mana generator and talks to her about killing everything in sight and she just ignores it all.”  
  
“She at least keeps him contained,” Proto offered.  
  
“Should just kill ‘em and be done with it.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter since you’re all the same person,” Archer countered.  
  
Lancer glanced over at them, shaking his head. “We’re going to move back to the house tomorrow since Rin’s able to walk around and run again. Caster still wants her to remain around the house for a few days longer to finish healing, but soon after that, she’ll be mobile.”  
  
“You don’t sound pleased with that.”  
  
Lancer shrugged. “She’s not at full power and she’s going to be gunnin’ once she’s able.”  
  
“Unless we distract her.”  
  
“What are you suggesting, Archer?”  
  
The two men stared at him as Archer shrugged. “Rin won’t fight Shirou, not unless Shirou openly attacks. Even then, she’ll go easy on him. If the kid’s still alive, that is. In any case, we wouldn’t have to worry about that if Rin was distracted. If we kept her busy, she wouldn’t have time to be finding her enemies. We could do it all ourselves.”  
  
“How do you want to distract her?” The younger lancer was interested as well, leaving the casually dressed lancer to wait, staring at him.  
  
“Rin’s a young woman and magus. Caster could focus on teaching her runes. And the rest of us…” He wasn’t going to suggest seducing their master, but- “Rin could use different skills in her repertoire. I’m sure you could see the advantages to her knowing how to use a lance and a bow.”  
  
Lancer grinned, running a hand through his hair. “Teach her to use a blade, huh? Guess we could do that.”  
  
Rin came running back in, sprinting across the floor until Archer found himself pushed aside. Lancer’s arms wrapped around her body, pulling her up into his arms a moment before her face was captured and pressed against his own. Rin squirmed, eyes closing despite smacking his shoulder.  
  
“Lancer!” Rin’s face burned as she pulled back. “Damn it! I was trying to run to Archer.”  
  
“I know.” Lancer grinned, pulling her head close. “But I like to make sure what’s mine understands when I’m being permissive.”  
  
“Talk like that means I’ll sick Berserker on you.”  
  
“Berserker was eager to carry you off to god only knows where.”  
  
“He wanted to talk about whether my mana circuits needed any further work. My legs are functioning fine though. They just need time to adjust to being used again.” Rin pushed him away slightly before that smiling face turned his way.  
  
Once more, Archer found himself standing before the woman, seeing those blue eyes gleam and that dark hair accentuate her pale features. He was once more drawn in, just like when he had been younger. Her whole person called out to him.  
  
“Welcome back, Archer.”  
  
Without a doubt, it was clear to him: He would do whatever was necessary to assist his master. Even if it meant working alongside Lancer.


	9. Chapter 9

Lancer pressed against her back.  
  
Prototype pressed against her front.  
  
Caster and Berserker sat in seats on opposing sides of the bed.  
  
Rin wasn’t sure where Archer was. She squirmed between the men, looking around until she saw him standing nearby, looking over the bed for a moment before he shook his head.  
  
“They just kind of invited themselves,” she explained, as though that rationalized the whole thing. Honestly, she wasn’t sure why she still allowed them to join her other than the fact that… Well…  
  
She wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone for a good long while.  
  
Her mind had lingered on the fire many times, thinking about it whenever the men were fighting with one another. She tried to think of any reason that the fire could have started or how they could have gotten her home to burn the way it had. There had to be a reason, after all.  
  
“You have no reason to explain their presence, Rin.” Archer looked around a moment before Rin pushed at Prototype.  
  
“Let Archer have some space on the bed as well.”  
  
Archer merely raised a brow at that, leaving Rin to squirm against Lancer.  
  
“It’s not like you have a lot of choices on where to rest. I’m just giving you a space to lay.”  
  
“There is a house full of rooms and you’re trying to make room for me in your bed. Should I feel flattered?”  
  
She felt her face burn a moment before Prototype was pressing back against her, snickering for the half minute before Caster was stripping and climbing between them. Caster wrapped his arms around her and smiled warmly. “Well, if Archer is going to waste this opportunity, then I’ll make sure to take full advantage myself.”  
  
“Asshole,” Prototype muttered from behind him.  
  
“Lancer,” Archer’s voice was behind her now. “Move over.”  
  
“Huh?” The man against her back turned slightly before she felt his chest shaking. “You kiddin’ me? Find a chair, Archer. Besides, there’s a half dozen beds in this house. Pick one of them or survey the perimeter.”  
  
“If I survey the perimeter, I won’t be able to get back in.”  
  
Lancer’s body wrapped around her tighter. “Not my problem.”  
  
Rin reached up, pulling at Archer lightly as she turned. If the the others weren’t going to let him lay next to her, then he could lay on top of her.  
  
A noble and innocent intention honestly, but the practice…  
  
Rin wasn’t sure if it was her whole body burning at the feel of him on top of her or if he was burning up. All she knew was that she pressed against Lancer’s body a little more, closing her eyes tight as he settled with his face pressed against her belly.  
  
“Red’s gonna die before dawn,” Berserker called out.  
  
The man’s face pressed against her more before his whole body tensed in place. Clearly, he wasn’t used to this. Allies, teasing- It was hard to deal with it even when she was in charge to be quite honest. She was tempted to try to comfort him, but then she would have to help him try to get over whatever was embarrassing him.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his head at least, brushing her fingers through his hair as the others held onto her or sat nearby. After a while, Rin felt the bed move, a figure climbing up alongside Archer. She felt his tail slide against her legs, easing any tension she had felt beginning.  
  
They all stayed like that, curled up as the night passed along. Even as the first streams of sunlight began to climb across the room, Rin found herself looking over them all. Prototype had taken the liberty of climbing onto Caster’s back to sleep. Lancer’s arms held her in a warm embrace while Berserker leaned against her left hip.  
  
Archer was hesitant to lay on her much though. Despite all the others around her, Archer’s body remained just barely touching her.  
  
“You can’t sleep?”  
  
“Hmm?” Rin looked down, finding her hand stopping in his hair as he stared up at her.  
  
“What’s wrong, Rin?”  
  
“I have been sleeping a lot. I’m not that tired, I guess.”  
  
“Do you want me to push the lancers out of your room?”  
  
Rin shook her head. “They’re not that bad. They didn’t let me feel any pain and haven’t let me have enough time to dwell on what happened. Believe it or not, they’ve actually been quite helpful.”  
  
“Did you mean to summon him so many times?”  
  
“That… That’s something I’m not sure about.” Rin shook her head briefly. “I don’t remember much at this point. The pain was too much. I remember seeing my body in disrepair and I remember thinking that I needed someone to pull me out from under the debris.”  
  
But the individual thoughts were fading now. Every time she tried to remember, they became fainter.  
  
Archer nodded at her silence, “I see… I’m glad you were able to summon someone to assist you.”  
  
“Archer…”  
  
He turned his head, pressing his cheek to her chest. “You are my master. I still feel the effects of your original command spell. No matter how much time passes, that will not change.”  
  
“Ehh,” Lancer opened one eye, leaning his head against hers as he glanced down at the other man. “You both pick the weirdest times for a tender moment.”  
  
“Did we wake you, Lancer?”  
  
“I was getting up anyway. Doubt the others will take long to wake.”  
  
“If you’re all getting up then get dressed.” Rin nudged at all of them. “Come on, I need to get up and dressed too.”  
  
“Ruining the whole moment,” Proto drawled, yawning widely before Caster shoved him off the bed. The man himself turned Rin’s face lightly, kissing her a moment before he pulled away, getting up. The man stretched lightly as he grabbed one of the bags and followed Prototype out.  
  
Berserker slinked after them, not bothering to walk on two feet. His tail curled around the door as he disappeared.  
  
“Come on, Lancer,” Rin nudged him, earning his arms tightening around her body.  
  
“I was thinking, maybe a few more days here would be best.”  
  
“Lancer, if I have to stay here one more night-“  
  
“Threatening,” Lancer tsked, pressing his lips to hers. Archer’s stare was almost boring a hole into her body as Rin momentarily lost track of the argument. Once again, she found herself tossed into an ocean’s worth of feelings.  
  
It was hard to do anything else when the man did this. Any of them honestly. It was bad.  
  
Part of her couldn’t help but feel bad, knowing her reaction was strong for all of the Lancers she had summoned. Despite being the same person in the end, they had differing interests and beliefs. They had things they valued more and she was coming to enjoy each one’s interests equally.  
  
Monogamy was becoming more difficult to think about when they curled up like dogs.  
  
“Problem, Rin?” Lancer pulled back, smirking a little as he brushed her hair back.  
  
It took her a minute to realize she was clinging to his chest, holding him close so that he couldn’t get away. Another minute and she realized she was between his legs now. When they had moved to this position, she wasn’t sure. Archer was still staring too.  
  
“I’m going to get dressed.” Rin pulled away, standing up quickly and looking around. “Where did the clothing I bought yesterday go?”  
  
“There’s a set of clothing on the dresser over there.”  
  
Rin frowned more. “I had a set of bags next to the doorway.”  
  
Archer shrugged, lounging onto his back. “I am with Lancer on this one. You have a set of clothes over there. Why are you worried over the bags?”  
  
“It’s not that I’m- Nevermind.” She stalked over to the clothes and paused, lifting them up a moment before she spun around. “Absolutely not!”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Both of them just looked over at her. Archer’s expression could only be described as a bored, indifferent look while Lancer… Well…  
  
He looked like he knew a little more about the clothing as his eyes caught sight of the material.  
  
“What’s wrong with the clothing, Rin?” Archer climbed to his feet, strolling as indifferently as possible to her side. He held up the dress, his brows furrowing as he turned the thing around. “I don’t see the issue.”  
  
“No? Not even the fact that it’s shorter than anything I owned before and missing half the fabric?”  
  
“It’s backless,” Lancer shrugged.  
  
“Where are the clothes I picked out yesterday? I had a nice sweater!”  
  
“Archer, get out,” the man demanded. Rin felt him move, appearing suddenly with the dress in his hands. His lips were against her neck, trying to distract her.  
  
“I’m not- Lancer,” Rin pushed at him, turning to see Archer crossing his arms and watching from the dresser. “What?”  
  
“I’m enjoying the fight.”  
  
“Out! Both of you!” Rin yanked the dress back out of Lancer’s hands and motioned them both out. “Get out! I’ll be down in a few minutes.”  
  
They moved. Slowly, teasingly in Lancer’s case, but they moved. Rin found herself alone with the dress in her hands and regret deep in her soul. She wasn’t sure she could wear the damn thing without ending up in a flushed puddle. It was too… It barely had a front. It was something she would never have picked.  
  
Which meant that Lancer and the other servants had taken a few liberties with their decisions while she had been down.  
  
As long as there was no sudden sex dungeon in her home.  
  
Ugh, but she could see them leaving embarrassing things in her home as they rebuilt it. Things she would spend months finding and trying to throw out without anyone in the area seeing it. The garbage men would have a field day with her bins. She would end up having to hide the things she found in bags and carry them to the dump herself.  
  
Slipping the dress overhead, Rin tugged and pulled at the fabric, settling it into place before she looked around. Feeling the high skirts was nothing too new, but the low necklines and her back exposed…  
  
Rin looked around nervously, trying to find some kind of mirror in the room.  
  
“Rin?”  
  
There was little time to dive for the bedsheets or cover herself. Honestly, her body wouldn’t have made it even if her mind hadn’t immediately went blank in pure terror. Her eyes just locked on the doorway, watching with an instantaneous terror as Caster poked his head into the room. Those red eyes drifted over to lock with hers before moving, oh so slowly, down her body.  
  
There was no words for the expression on his face.  
  
“Ah- I’m almost ready.”  
  
When she didn’t move, Caster did. His hands slipped the lock into place. Those eyes remained focused on hers as he crossed the room, strolling across as though she were the only thing in the room to look at. She could only stare as those shoulders came into view, his coat slipping off.  
  
“Here,” he murmured, wrapping the coat around her shoulders.  
  
The fabric slipping around her frame settled her racing heart. Rin could feel the tension beginning to recede when her chin was tilted back. His lips lowered to hers before she felt her eyes bug out.  
  
She stumbled backwards, barely being caught before she hit the dresser. Caster’s arms held her tightly to himself, his attentions overwhelming as could be. She moaned lightly.  
  
“Ah, I should have known this would be too much.” Caster pulled back, smirking. “We thought about this thing yesterday and- I’ll have you know I have my own lance if you find yourself in need of a good physical exercise.”  
  
Rin tugged the coat tightly around herself, trying her best at a glare. “That’s enough! I want to go home.”  
  
“Shall we, then?” Caster motioned towards the door, tossing the nightgown she had been wearing over his shoulder.  
  
“I’m keeping your coat.”  
  
“Fine with me, I’ll savor the mental image while the others continue to dream it.”  
  
“Jerk.” Rin pushed the door open, storming passed Archer and Lancer having a quiet argument and looking over at Berserker. “Come on, Berserker. I know at least you’ll keep me company without making remarks about my state of dress.”  
  
The man shrugged, letting out a yawn.  
  
“Where’s Proto?”  
  
“He went ahead,” Berserker replied. “Took the clothes we had here to the house. Caster will be following behind with our supply rations.”  
  
“Of course he did.” Rin looked around, slipping her arms through the sleeves of Caster’s coat before walking quickly towards the door. “Come on. Let’s migrate before the world wakes up any further.”  
  
A hand pressed lightly against the small of her back. She could sense Berserker leap passed them, gaining higher ground to travel. Lancer’s movement was in time to hers, his arm wrapping around her shoulder.  
  
“You know, Rin. I was thinking,” the man leaned closer as they walked, smirking. “Walking around is fine and all, but what do you think about training to be proficient in fighting?”  
  
“I am good at using mana. With my gems-“  
  
“Gems are good, but it won’t necessarily help you continue to let your body heal. We should at least do some basic exercises.”  
  
“I’m guessing you want me to learn to use a lance?”  
  
“Would you rather learn to use a bow and arrows?”  
  
Rin didn’t look at Archer, knowing he was listening in as well. No doubt he would make use of any indication she could make to use a bow. Sweet as that was, she’d rather not. Using a bow and arrow was long distance combat. It was the type of fighting she wasn’t willing to do.  
  
Better they know who was coming.  
  
“I would rather not do either training. I use magecraft. Besides, I need to prepare for us going after whoever burned my house down.” Rin looked over at Archer. “You said that they used to be your master?”  
  
“They did.”  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence between them all a moment. Rin’s eyes drifted up to Archer’s. “Who was it?”  
  
“Rin… They’re no longer a problem. Let them remain that way.”  
  
“Are they?” Rin turned, stepping in front of the man and crossing her arms. “I want to know who they are. If we know who they are, we can find out if they were hired, blackmailed, or acting alone.”  
  
The man turned his gaze to Lancer, as though that would help.  
  
“Archer.”  
  
“We have reason to believe it was Shirou.”  
  
Ice settled in her veins. Rin could feel her body freeze in place as she stared at the future of Shirou Emiya. To think that Shirou would hurt her…  
  
“No…” Rin shook her head. “Shirou wouldn’t… He has no reason to attack me.”  
  
“Rin, it may be hard to believe-“  
  
“Shirou wouldn’t have done that.” Rin shook her head, hurrying through the woods.  
  
“Rin! Where are you going?”  
  
“I’m going to visit Shirou!”  
  
Lancer stepped in front of her first, hauling her up into his arms. “Absolutely not. I’m not going to let you go running over to his house when we’ve barely gotten you healed.”  
  
“Lancer!”  
  
She had to get to Shirou. She needed to demand to know what had happened. There was no way that he could be involved in what happened. Which meant it could be someone nearby. It could have been anyone who visited him. Maybe someone was after him as well and that had led them all to think it was Shirou.  
  
Whatever the case, it couldn’t be him.  
  
It just couldn’t.  
  
Lancer held her tightly over his shoulder, walking alongside Archer. The two men didn’t speak. They didn’t look at one another as far as she could tell.  
  
When they arrived at the house, Rin was returned to her feet. Inside. Archer locked the door once they were in. Prototype and Caster were lounging on couches in the living room.  
  
“Archer, move!” Rin stormed towards the man, earning an immobile asshole blocking her path.  
  
“You need to stay here.”  
  
“I’m not going to be a prisoner in my own home! Move it!”  
  
“Rin, you’re upset. Considering what you went through with Shirou-“  
  
“Don’t,” Rin held up a hand, closing her eyes. “Don’t you dare say it. I won’t listen to this. Shirou wouldn’t have done this. He wouldn’t have hurt me…”  
  
You wouldn’t have hurt me.  
  
She didn’t need to say it. Archer could no doubt read it in her eyes.  
  
“Caster. Prototype.” Lancer moved deeper into the room. “We’ve moved Rin successfully. Let’s make sure to cover the trail from the manor to here. Last thing we need is our temporary place of rest being figured out. Just in case we need to use the abandoned place again.”  
  
The two nodded, wandering off.  
  
Rin looked over at the man, shaking her head again. “Lancer, I have to see Shirou.”  
  
“Rin.”  
  
“Lancer… You don’t understand.” She stared up at him, holding the coat tighter around herself. “I need to talk to him.”  
  
“You just healed. You just got on your feet and can move around without one of us needing to stay close in case of emergencies.”  
  
“I have to talk to him.”  
  
“You still get tired at times. Your mana won’t run through your legs quite fast enough. You said yourself that it’s slower than it should be.”  
  
“I have to go.”  
  
The man walked up to her, tilting her head back. She could feel him tugging the coat open slightly, leaning down. “Rin, you know I can’t just let you do that.”  
  
“I could command you to take me.”  
  
The man leaned over her a little more, his arms wrapping around her. Her stomach was churning, mind racing through the possibilities. She needed to go. She needed to see Shirou and hear it from him.  
  
“Lancer, I-“  
  
“Rin,” Lancer pressed his lips to hers lightly, his fingers stroking her cheeks to keep her looking at him. She couldn’t look away from those red eyes, from the serious expression that marred the good natured servant. “Train with me.”  
  
“I need to-“  
  
“Train. With me.” His voice was firmer than before. “If you’ll train with me, get stronger, then we can go see him together. You’re about planning, right? You go into things with a strategy. Don’t let him be any different.”  
  
Those fingers tightened as she tried to turn her head, refusing to let her have an inch.  
  
“You’re my master,” Lancer murmured. “Mine. To protect, to serve, to fight for. Don’t let me lose a decent master after all those centuries of being commanded to kill myself by master after master.”  
  
She still needed to see Shirou. There was no excuse. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of something. Something she could say or do that would give her the chance. Shirou wouldn’t do anything. Not if Archer was looking as pained as he did.  
  
“Rin.”  
  
“Archer is Shirou,” Rin told him. Her eyes drifted up to his. “If Archer wouldn’t attack me, then you all must be wrong. Shirou wouldn’t hurt me.”  
  
“Archer,” Lancer looked over at the man. “Do you remember Rin from your original lifetime?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Do you remember the fire?”  
  
“No.” Archer crossed his arms, frowning. “While I remember Saber and Rin, there is a strong possibility that Shirou will not become me. I am a possibility of being the future for Emiya Shirou. Not a guarantee.”  
  
Lancer slipped a hand to the back of her neck, his fingers scratching with just enough pressure that Rin found herself closing her eyes. She sighed. The feeling was too nice.  
  
“You’re too tense, Rin.” Lancer pressed his lips to her cheek. “Another week. Let me train you. Berserker won’t forgive you for leaving without your mana circuits ready for a fight. We can plan how to prepare in case Shirou did begin the fire.”  
  
“…Archer,” Rin looked over at the man nearby, seeing the lost look in his eyes. At his name, he focused, but only on her, only enough to be able to listen to commands. “Can you make me a cup of tea?”  
  
“Settle on the sofa.” Archer walked passed them quickly. “I will have tea ready in a few minutes.”  
  
As he disappeared, Rin settled deeper into the coat, closing her eyes once again. Her feet and legs were beginning to ache. Everything hurt. There was still the undeniable feeling of wanting to run to see Shirou. She needed to see him so badly.  
  
Lancer herded her gently towards the sofa, groaning slightly as he settled next to her.  
  
“He wasn’t supposed to tell you about that.”  
  
“I’m glad he did.”  
  
“You’re upset.”  
  
“I’m thinking.”  
  
“You’re in denial and wanting to go on a suicide run.” Lancer leaned his head back, letting out another groan. “Damn him.”  
  
“I’m not wanting to go on a suicide run.”  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“I just need to know for sure. I don’t want to assume only to learn that we were wrong and attacked someone unjustly. We can’t repair an alliance once we attack. They’ll never trust us again.”  
  
The man reached over, pulling her into his arms. He slipped a hand underneath the coat around her, his lips pressing to hers.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“A little time, Rin. Let’s do this right.” He slipped the coat off, tossing it onto the other couch. His hands stroking down her arms.  
  
“Fine.” Rin nodded. Cornered at this point. “Teach me how to use a lance then.”  
  
“I’ll need you focused on me.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“Entirely, unendingly focused.” His touch was on her hips now, those eyes looking up at her. “You should work with Caster and Berserker when you aren’t with me. I’ll probably have Prototype help me train you.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
The man grinned. “Then we have to talk about this whole future brat living in the house with us.”  
  
“We’re keeping Archer. He’s a good servant.”  
  
“I’m glad my master agrees with keeping me.” Archer held up the tea set and Lancer leaned back, groaning.  
  
“Of course,” Rin grinned, accepting the teacup proudly. “You were and will always be one of my servants.”  
  
“Naturally, someone of fine quality would understand a strong servant when they see one.”  
  
“That’s true.”  
  
“Naturally, it’s little surprise to me that you’d prefer the company of dogs,” the man continued. “Then again, a women who finds herself alone often gets some kind of pet. They accumulate quickly, I’m told.”  
  
Had he just- was that an insult?! “Excuse me?”  
  
The man shrugged.  
  
“I am not lonely and I don’t hoard dogs!”  
  
“Denial is the first stage of grief. It seems it’s a step past compromise for loneliness,” the man replied, earning himself the teacup being thrown at his head.  
  
“You jackass!”  
  
“Rin-“  
  
Lancer tried to speak, but Rin held up a hand, stopping him as she stormed at Archer, smacking him repeatedly.  
  
“Whoa!” Lancer’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her arms to her sides. Her body pressed against his, his lips pressing to her neck. “Whoa there, Rin. Let’s take a step back.”  
  
“I’m gonna kill him.”  
  
“While I’m all for killin’ ‘im, how about you focus on something else.”  
  
“Lancer, let go of me.”  
  
“Not even going to thank me for stopping you from making bad decisions?”  
  
“I don’t need to thank you! Let me go!”  
  
She was getting tired of this.  
  
“Fine,” he all but purred. “I’ll just move away, I suppose Berserker, Caster, Proto, and I could stay at the manor while Archer is here with you.” His arms let her go, the man turning to head towards the door.  
  
“Lancer!”  
  
“It’s fine.” He waved her off, refusing to look back as he unlocked the door.  
  
“Lancer! Come here!”  
  
“I’m not a dog, Rin. I don’t come at people’s beck and call.” He looked over his shoulder, opening the door as he did, “I’ll never touch you again. Since you have preferences.”  
  
“Don’t-“  
  
“Never.”  
  
Rin groaned, “You’re exaggerating. Come back inside.”  
  
“Bye, Rin.”  
  
“Lancer! I command you to come back in here, hold me, and never leave me!”  
  
The holding bit was unintentional, more from the fact that his body had left her so fast that she had felt the chill in the building. Whatever the case, he was inside immediately, wrapping his body around her and grinning. His hands slipped up the skirts of her dress, mouth to her ear.  
  
“Did you just waste a command seal on getting me to hold you?”  
  
Rin winced, biting her lip.  
  
“Wasteful as ever,” Archer murmured, turning away and heading towards the kitchen again. “Since you have Lancer’s undivided attention, I’m making dinner.”  
  
“Archer-“  
  
The man was already heading through the doors, leaving her to pay for what she had just done.


	10. Chapter 10

“Stop, Lancer.”  
  
“You told me to hold you and never leave.”  
  
“You can still let go of me.”  
  
The man laughed, his hold altering as he hoisted her into his arms. “That’s true, but why bother? I happen to like this fact. Commanded to hold and remain at your side. I can’t think of anything better.”  
  
“I was trying to…” Rin shook her head, trying in vain to remember what she had been doing before Lancer had distracted her. Damn, but she couldn’t remember why she had been ready to kill Archer. She just wanted to smack them both now.  
  
If she could get her body free, that was.  
  
“Can you let me go?”  
  
“I was commanded to hold you and never leave.” The dress was slipping from her shoulders, his lips pressing against her back. “A whole command spell went into ensuring I never leave. I have to make the most of it.”  
  
“Ah- Lancer, my dress-“  
  
“It’s quite nice,” he murmured, undoing the buttons holding the upper part of the dress over her chest. The fabric dropped, his hands slipping over her chest. “But I am looking for something else.”  
  
“Lancer,” Rin covered her chest immediately, earning a tsk from the man. She could feel him press against her back, his fingers inching the skirts lower and lower.  
  
“I’ve been meaning to have a conversation with you about this.” His hands slid slowly up her body as the fabrics fell. The room was suddenly freezing against her burning skin. Once again, she had combusted, just in a more survivable manner… probably.  
  
It didn’t feel like she’d survive those hands as they held her chest in their palms. She could feel teeth grazing her ear, nipping lightly.  
  
“I’m willing to share. I won’t argue allies, especially considering the capabilities of Archer’s talents. I won’t argue that it beats the hell out of cooking. Trust me when I say Caster can’t understand the value of a good protein filled meal.”  
  
Those fingers were moving lightly, stroking until Rin felt her feet give out from under her. Once more, she found herself on the floor in her own home, done in by someone else.  
  
“Let’s try another room, shall we?”  
  
Those arms hoisted her up, slipping her easily over his shoulder again. Awareness let her know of the friction between his shirt and the state of dress she was currently in. Embarrassment let her know of the racing of her heart and the slight trembling that had begun as Lancer’s hands slipped between her legs, stroking her inner thighs.  
  
They moved through the house that way, with her body curled around his shoulder. Her face was pressed against his back, taking in the scent of rain and humidity that clung to his skin and clothing. She knew the path they were taking, having echoed it a thousand and one times prior. They moved up the stairs, down the hallway. They moved to the last door on the left; leaving her to tense as he turned the knob and pushed the door open.  
  
Everything in the room had been changed.  
  
Was it similar to what she was used to? Yes.  
  
She recognized the old wood furniture with its ornate carving and she knew the design of the wallpaper and the wood paneling that went along the room. She was familiar with the desk that sat quietly on one side of the room. She knew the little couch along the one wall, next to the bookcase. However, that was where the familiarity ended. The room had been expanded. So too had her bed, if the country of a bed could ever be called hers. Her bed before had been large enough that she could fit on it, but it hadn’t been large enough she could fit a half dozen people on it. She could lay in it sideways and never reach the other side. What’s more, she knew for a fact that her bed had not had deep emerald sheets trimmed in gold colored fabric. The trim was lined with shapes and details that only brought to mind the kind of magic that Caster had worked to teach her.  
  
“I had no intention of returning you to a room that brought back memories of the fire,” Lancer told her, noting her drifting eyes. He slipped her into his arms, holding her to his chest as he crossed the room. Rin felt her attention return to him as he laid her out across the bedsheets. “I think it’s safe to say that you’re passed the point of thinking to that moment in time.”  
  
The urge to see how far she could move across the bed came to mind, but she felt the bed dip as Lancer climbed above her. He yanked the nondescript shirt over his head, tossing it aside and pulling his hair free. Those hands returned to her chest as he moved up her person. His lips pressed against hers, claiming her once again.  
  
Rin closed her eyes, turning her head the moment that he let her have a second to breathe. Her hands pressed to his chest in return. “Th-thank you.”  
  
“Look at me, Rin.”  
  
She continued to look away, staring towards the tapestry above the headboard of the bed. It was also new, unfamiliar; humming lightly with mana itself.  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“I hadn’t had the chance to really just thank you and the others for what you did. You all found a place for me to stay and helped me recover far beyond what most people are capable of healing in terms of burns. Most people are severely scared after a fire, some beyond recognition.”  
  
“Rin, look at me.”  
  
He said it so softly, his lips pressing against her chest again. Rin felt her body quiver in response. “I-I don’t want to lose you as a servant. Don’t joke around about that kind of thing. I would rather have you remain at my side.”  
  
“Rin,” He moved up her person, turning her head and pressing his lips to hers. “Stubborn, beautiful Rin.”  
  
“I’m thanking you. How is that stubborn?”  
  
“I happen to like the stubbornness,” Lancer breathed, those lips pressing against hers again and again. “I love your fire, woman. You didn’t need to use a command spell to get me to remain. You just needed to ask me. You could get me to do just about anything if you just asked the right way.” He grinned. “Anything at all, Rin.”  
  
“It’s distracting with your hands on me,” Rin told him.  
  
He flashed a grin, mouth dipping down to her breasts.  
  
“N-OH! Lancer!” Rin gasped, her hands gripping the blankets on the bed.  
  
“Sensitive.” Lancer moved his lips lower, going towards her belly button. Her legs bent, toes curling as she wrapped her body around him. It was the only thing to do. He would have stolen all thought away if she hadn’t.  
  
His fingers slid over the space between her legs, right at her center.  
  
“I made this room for us,” the devil of a man purred, sending her mind into a mass of white noise. “This is a room with enough mana and spells in place that you could leave a flame lying on the bed itself and it would remain in place. You could burn a thousand candles and leave the fireplace roaring for a thousand years and nothing would burn.”  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“I have no intention of losing you, Rin.” Lancer slipped a finger in and Rin moaned. She couldn’t hold it back anymore.  
  
There was no choice. She let it go, lying back and welcoming his attentions.  
  
“That’s it. Give in to me.”  
  
Her eyes drifted to the canopy of the bed as those lips moved to where his fingers had been. That wicked tongue of his moved up the space where his fingers had been, tasting her. She returned the caress by burying her fingers in his hair, holding on tight.  
  
Over and over that mouth did wicked things, taking his sweet time until Rin couldn’t think through this place. Soon enough, she was lost in a field of green sheets, her eyes drifting down to those bright red eyes. Every time she moaned, she felt his hand move over her inner thigh, over one of those sensitive places between her legs. Fingers moved in and out of her when his tongue would leave her so he could kiss her thigh.  
  
Somewhere inside her, those fingers found a pressure point.  
  
His name screamed through the room, echoing off the walls as continued this torture.  
  
“Rin.”  
  
Melted.  
  
There was no other word for it, her body was melted due to his attentions. He had held her too long and her body had melted away into a puddle. All that remained was just the remnants.  
  
“Ah, Rin,” Lancer teased, those eyes glinting as his crooked smile had her heart stuttering in her chest. “I haven’t even gotten inside you yet. Your body is such a distraction that I could almost just keep this up all night.”  
  
“L-lancer… Cu…”  
  
The man’s head tilted, those eyes narrowing as he heard his true name escaping her lips. “That’s what I want right there. Say my name, Rin.”  
  
It was the prayer for the evening, leaving her lips again and again. Rin found his lips returning to hers, his body aligning before he slammed himself home. Bigger, thicker- God, she wasn’t sure what was different but there was more of him than there had been of Prototype. He was more real.  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“Move,” Rin begged.  
  
The pace began at fast, accelerating into an absurd pace of sparks and mind-erasing madness. Each time his body pulled out, Rin felt her body tighten, trying to milk him for all he was worth. And then, when his body would slam back in, Rin felt her body spasm. Her lips claimed his only because she needed to touch him. She needed to give this increasing madness to someone else and watch them lose their mind.  
  
Lancer’s laugh just rang in her ears, those eyes knowing as he would pull away. Those eyes were bright, even as his skin began to show a sheen of sweat.  
  
His name escaped her lips when he pulled away, earning a dark, hungry expression in return.  
  
Spasms came and went, her body losing energy only to be brought back up to another apex. Each time she grew close, he would bite or suck or that cock of his would slam that one spot that made the world fall apart and her voice ring through the room.  
  
Nothing and no one could have prepared her for this. The man didn’t have sex like he was just looking for entertainment. He fucked with the single minded goal of needing to feel alive. He fucked like he needed to feel flesh against his own and feel blood coursing through his veins. The way his body touched hers had every nerve ending in her body sparking to life.  
  
His body flooded hers finally, his body falling against hers only for her to wrap her arms around him. She kissed him. She buried her face against his neck.  
  
Despite pulling out of her eventually, he kept his arms around her tightly. His lips pressed against her forehead.  
  
“That was good.” He panted a little, laughing. “Damn good. Gods, woman.”  
  
“I know a thing or two about this kind of thing,” Rin told him, rolling away. His body pressed against her back, refusing to release her.  
  
“Uh huh. You’re going to have to be on top next time, expert.”  
  
“Absolutely not.”  
  
“Hmm? Why not?”  
  
“I can’t just be on top. That’s not how our bodies work.” Rin shook her head at him, closing her eyes. She didn’t want to look at him nude. She couldn’t. It was enough to have been looking at his shirtless body. Knowing he was naked-  
  
He hoisted her up, settling her on his hips. She could feel him slowly hardening between her legs.  
  
“L-Lancer!”  
  
“You fit right here,” he told her, leaning back a little more and pulling her hands to where their bodies were touching. “And you just slip this right into where I’ve been entering all evening. You can set our pace and touch me as much as you want this way.”  
  
“This is just- I can’t-“ Rin leaned forward, pressing her face to his chest only to earn a good laugh from the man.  
  
“I’ve touched every inch of your body and you still can’t do this?”  
  
“It’s not that simple.”  
  
“It is,” He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look up at him. “It’s really that simple. You’re too easily embarrassed by these things, but I don’t want that for in here. In here, we’ll keep it simple. Do what your body tells you to do.”  
  
“What if my body doesn’t tell me to do anything?”  
  
“Woman, I’ve been touching you for hours. Your body says plenty.”  
  
Rin shook her head, finding him reaching behind her head. He swept her hair out of the way, his lips melding with hers again. Her arms went to his neck, holding him to her. She tried to move her body up his, but he leaned upwards, keeping her in place. His hands wandered down her sides, pushing her hips against him more. She could feel him between her legs, her face heating up more.  
  
“Take what you want,” the man told her. “You demand everywhere else, demand for this too. Demand from me.”  
  
It wasn’t that simple though. She couldn’t just tell him to- It was inappropriate. It was far too intimate. Far easier to do what she had done with Shirou. They could just take one another in the darkness, not breathing a word and then leaving one another at dawn. They had done what their bodies had been curious about and gone their separate ways.  
  
Cu wasn’t going anywhere but inside of her though. She could feel it in the way his body twitched against her.  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“Give me a minute. This isn’t that easy.” Rin looked down, taking in the girth between the man’s legs into consideration. She just had to separate what was happening with his teasing personality. She was just doing a mana transfer. Simple. Basic.  
  
She wrapped a hand lightly around him, biting her lip as she tried not to think.  
  
“…How do you fit?”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
All she could do was close her eyes at the pathetic question. She shouldn’t have said a thing. He had been fitting just fine before. She knew he could manage. She just- He was a good length and width.  
  
His hands stroked at her face, lips pressing to hers again.  
  
“Did my younger self teach you nothing?”  
  
“He didn’t make me do anything myself. He was being very gentle, considering I was still healing.”  
  
“Yeah, gentle.” His hands took hers, wrapping around himself more firmly. “Let me show you how to drive a man to madness. That way, the next time one of my other selves tries to get too close, you can drive them insane and walk away… Hopefully straight to me.”  
  
“I don’t think-“  
  
He began to move her hand along his length, “We’ll start simple. Stroking is nice. I’m already hard as a rock and ready for this. If I wasn’t though, you can drive me mad by stroking.”  
  
“Cu-“  
  
“As for fitting in your body,” Cu pulled her hips closer, letting her have a hand back. She wrapped that arm around his shoulders, moving closer and looking down at their hands joined around his cock. “I fit nicely inside you. You’re tight and hold me close. Nothing less than I would expect from a first rate master. When you’re ready, you line up our bodies,” He moved his hips, pressing himself against her body. The tip of him was right there, right where her body felt everything in threefold.  
  
“Lancer, I can do this.”  
  
“Then do it.”  
  
She moved slowly, pausing as he barely was inside. She felt his hips buck and he was in. She held him tight, closing her eyes again.  
  
There was no way in hell or high waters that she was looking at him right now. She wasn’t going to watch to see what he would say to her reactions. He could make all the faces he wanted and think all the things he wanted to think, but she wouldn’t look at him.  
  
Rin couldn’t look at him, not right now.  
  
His lips were at her ear though, voice low as he spoke to her. “You feel it too, huh. It feels real damn good to be like this. Now we can get to the good part of this.”  
  
“I know how this works. It’s just in and out.”  
  
“Damn impatient. This is more than just an in and out kind of thing.” His hands moved along her waist, stroking her skin until she felt herself shiver. Her muscles around his shaft tensed, making the feeling of him inside her that much more electric.  
  
“Wha-“  
  
“Sensitive.” Rin opened her eyes to see the devilish smile on his lips. He kept her on him, continuing to touch and caress. His hands moved upwards, holding her chest in his hands. “It ain’t bad, but I’m waiting for you to take over here, Rin. For being so demanding everywhere else, we’re gonna have to work on this.”  
  
“I don’t need to be demanding.”  
  
“I would like it.” His lips pressed against hers, drawing another one of those embarrassing noises from her. “I would really like it.”  
  
“Then I guess you just have to be-“ Her words died as his fingers moved against her chest, lips pressing to her left breast. The feeling of teeth grazing just along her nipple… Something burned inside her body, erupting as those eyes just gleamed. He knew was he was doing. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was doing a damn good job of it.  
  
Her breath shook as she tried to hold herself together. Her hips moved, testing the connection between them. At the feeling of him moving slightly, slightly thrusting despite his efforts to let her take control of this, Rin made a decision.  
  
If he wanted her to take control, then fine.  
  
She would take control.  
  
Her arms went to his shoulders, head resting against his as he continued to pay homage to her chest. When she felt him going to nip at her, she moved.  
  
Slowly at first. She rolled her hips, earning every cell in the man’s body stopping. He looked up at her, earning his lips being stolen away.  
  
Tongues touching, mouths devouring one another, Rin let him take over the kiss for a moment before she repeated the movement she had done before. She rolled her hips, moving in a pace that only earned her a loud and hungry sound from the man before her. His body fell back, hers following after as she fought to keep the connection between their lips alive.  
  
“Rin,” he breathed around her.  
  
“If you can talk, you can touch me.”  
  
His hands were on her instantly, a bark of a laugh escaping him before he kissed her again.  
  
She milked him for everything. Every breath from his lips, every touch he was capable of giving; it was all hers and she was taking it. She moved her lips down his body as he gasped for air. Her hips moved, supported by her hands on his hips.  
  
When he came, Rin laughed, watching him curse. Those eyes locked on hers, yanking her in a moment before she found herself drowning against him again. Her body rolled beneath his, his body taking over the movements. Everything went to a blur of color and sound. Her thinking was gone, replaced with his name ripped from her lips like a mantra.  
  
A scream echoed in the room, her hands gripping the sheets.  
  
Her body was trapped, collapsing a moment before he finished above her.  
  
Arms around his shoulders, legs around his waist, she held him to her. Her eyes closed as she breathed in the scent of their sexual encounter.  
  
“That… That was…”  
  
Those damned lips she had felt on every part of her body pressed against her neck, killing the words she was going to say. She opted to moan, digging her nails into his skin until he came closer. Pulling his face to hers, she kissed him.  
  
“Cu…”  
  
“You know what’s nice about this?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“I’m right here,” He pressed his lips to the command spells against her chest. “My symbols are on your skin. I know when the morning comes, you’ll still be my master.”  
  
“I am your master.”  
  
His grin broadened. “And we’ll do this again. Every time you come in here, all you’ll think about is this. Here with me.”  
  
“Arrogant.”  
  
“I am,” he agreed, lips pressing to the command spells against her chest. “I’m damned arrogant. I have everything I want.”  
  
“I’m going to sleep.”  
  
“You don’t want to do it again?”  
  
“You’ll break me,” Rin told him, pulling him tight to her body. “Sleep with me. Maybe in the morning.”  
  
“Such a sleepy master,” Cu Chulainn’s arms wrapped around her a little more, picking her up lightly before he pushed the sheets down the bed. They were wrapped up beneath them in a matter of moments, snuggled in tight. The bed smelled like he normally did. The same smell of rain and earth clung to the fabric. It was like he rolled around on the bed before she had made it to this room.  
  
“…smells good.”  
  
“It smells like sex in here, Rin.” The man teased, earning a smack.  
  
“Shut up. I was talking about the bed.” She rolled over, face burning. “It smells like you.”  
  
“Ah- So you like how I smell, huh?” He followed after her, spooning against her back before she felt his lips against the back of her neck. “I don’t mind. What else you like?”  
  
“Silence.”  
  
“Master,” the man whined, hands going to her chest only to tease her further. “You can’t just tell me things like that and go to sleep.”  
  
“I need to sleep.”  
  
“You’ve slept plenty over the course of the last few weeks.”  
  
Rin didn’t respond, trying to focus on the feel of his body against hers. The broad chest against her back, the feeling of his hair teasing her skin as it remained unbound and wild; he was surrounding her. Protecting her, as she let his presence permeate the anxiety of sleeping in her room again.  
  
The room wasn’t the same as it had been before. The room was protected. Her servant was at her side, ready to whisk her off if a fire were to occur.  
  
She was grateful that they had done what they had done before she had decided to try to sleep. Clothing would only make the situation worse. Being naked in the sheets meant nothing would burn against her body except perhaps the sheets. But Lancer was here.  
  
“Cu,” Rin opened her eyes, looking over her shoulder at the man tiredly.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“Distract me until I go to sleep.”  
  
He pressed his lips to her neck, trailing attention up to her ear. Those hands slid behind her person, moving along her back in a way that made her whole body melt. It was so nice, feeling him kneading at all the tension in her being. Even as she closed her eyes, a content sigh escaped her lips.  
  
“You know every inch of this body is mine, right?” He murmured. “Every single inch. I plan to make sure you don’t forget that, Rin. I won’t let anyone destroy your mind or your body. I won’t let anyone ruin that proud grin of yours. I want to be the only one who gets to see you lose yourself.”  
  
She turned her head, pressing it to his neck.  
  
“Do you get me?”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
His words echoed in her head, those hands pulling her away from it all. The world fell away piece by piece. And then all that was left was him.


	11. Chapter 11

A weight was against her stomach. Two sets of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. Even as she felt that happening, she could feel something rising and falling under her head. It was comfortable, she had no qualms with the feeling, but it wasn’t a pillow like it had been when she had fallen asleep.  
  
Opening her eyes, she could see lancer to her left. Caster to her right. Prototype’s body was laid out across her body, leaving only one Cu Chulainn unaccounted for. She turned her head slightly, watching the man in question’s tail adjust to wrap around Lancer’s shoulders.  
  
Over the course of the evening, they had all climbed into the bed, wrapping themselves around her.  
  
“Morning,” Berserker murmured.  
  
“Berserker.” Rin looked over at the man’s face, motioning to the other three. “Can you help me get out from under them all? I need to get something to eat.”  
  
He made it look so easy, lifting Prototype and turning his body to rest on Caster. The arms around her body were easily slipped out from between, leaving her to climb out from under the blankets and over Lancer’s body carefully. As her feet pressed against the floor, she felt Berserker wrap Caster’s coat around her shoulders.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
The man nodded, curling back up and closing his eyes again.  
  
They were cute, if nothing else. Rin stood for a moment, watching them all curled up together. They moved closer to one another, as though needing the body heat. Their faces all shared the same peaceful, calm expression.  
  
She left the door ajar, tiptoeing down the hallway and down the stairs.  
  
Every second that she took felt like it was that much closer to one of the men from her bed getting up and following. Right now, she really just wanted a few moments. Just a few to herself.  
  
“Rin,” Archer greeted her softly, closing the book in his hands and standing up.  
  
Well, Archer’s company wasn’t a poor substitute for alone time. Rin wrapped the coat around herself a little more and nodded to him. “Good morning.”  
  
“You slept in.”  
  
“I had a long evening.”  
  
The man nodded, keeping from making one of his notorious remarks. Smart of him. She wasn’t sure she could handle any comments on her bedding Cu Chulainn at the moment.  
  
“Can you make me a cup of tea?”  
  
Another nod. Rin followed him into the kitchen, settling onto one of the seats by the island as Archer began to start making breakfast in general. His work was quiet, efficient. She watched him work and rested her head against the cold counter.  
  
“Were the other three bothering you?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Archer looked over at her, spatula in hand as he spoke. “Berserker, Caster, and Prototype came back late. They were investigating the town after pulling down their handiwork at the Einsbern place. I wasn’t sure if you wanted them upstairs in your room or if you wanted them to find their own room.”  
  
“It was fine. Although they should probably find their own room.”  
  
Once more, the man simply nodded, focusing on his work.  
  
“Did they find anything new?”  
  
“Nothing that they told me, although letting Lancer know that I am a future Shirou was not helpful in helping me gain their trust. I can imagine that the other three will know soon enough.”  
  
“I still need to talk to Shirou and Saber.”  
  
“You know that you will be letting them have the opportunity to kill you if they did try to kill you.”  
  
“You see that there’s a good chance that we’re wrong. If we attack without knowing for sure-“  
  
Archer set a bit of toast in front of her, shaking his head. “They have already been attacked.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Who had attacked them? Had it been-  
  
“Lancer, Berserker, and Caster made their move a while back. It took me time to heal and find you after the attack.”  
  
“Is Shirou and Saber-“  
  
The man leaned against the other side of the island, frowning. “Rin. Before you ask how they are doing, think about your situation carefully. You are newly healed, in command of several servants. Even if they had begun the fire, there is no guarantee that they would confess, knowing that you are capable of easily defeating them. Going to them and showing that you trust them would only encourage another deceptive attack. Your servants knew your feelings and took it upon themselves to strike before you were able bodied.”  
  
“They had no right!”  
  
“Right or wrong, they did it. Shirou knows that you no longer trust him.” Archer held up a hand to stop her argument. “And it doesn’t matter if you trust him or not. What matters is how you approach the matter knowing what you know. If you want to find out who started the fire, we should look into any magus that are in the area. You have five servants. We should begin by wandering out, trying to find signs of mana usage and trying to find out who could have started a fire in your home without you knowing.”  
  
“It would have to be someone close to me.”  
  
“Which makes matters simpler but much more complex.”  
  
Rin nodded, accepting the cup of tea as he handed it across the island to her. Sipping at it lightly, Rin took a moment to think about things carefully.  
  
No matter how she looked at things, there was little choice.  
  
“I need to talk to Shirou still.”  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“Not to know whether or not he started the fire. If someone around me started the fire and it was someone other than him, then it would be someone that knows him as well as me. There aren’t many magus around and we tend to run into one another at some point during the day. I see the Matous at school and the Mage Association has priests that visit the area from time to time. I see a new person once every couple month.”  
  
“You think he would know if anyone from the Association was in the area.”  
  
“Or if anyone was near my home. I had talked to Shirou on my way home that afternoon. He could have seen someone lingering around the area.”  
  
“You still would have to consider his words to be honest.”  
  
“I would trust you,” Rin told him simply, sipping at her tea a little more as the man leaned back. At her words, he ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sound before he turned away and began to move around the cabinets.  
  
“Your servants are useless at gathering ingredients,” he replied. “All I’ve seen in this damn house is fish and beer. If I didn’t know this was your home, I would assume that the lancers owned this house.”  
  
“Whining already.” Lancer walked in, yawning widely as he made it way to the chair next to hers and plopped down. His eyes drifted over the coat around Rin’s person before he smirked. “I’ll never understand a man who can complain when there are other things around to focus on.”  
  
The spatula from before smacked against his head, earning a growl as Archer pulled another spatula out and resumed cooking.  
  
“I was just explaining to our master that you and your clones are incapable of getting ingredients for this house and should not be trusted to spend her money.”  
  
“We caught the fish. The beer is from Caster’s money.”  
  
“Caster’s money?” Rin looked over at him in confusion. “How does Caster have money but the rest of you don’t?”  
  
“Because Caster’s been healing illnesses,” Archer replied, throwing the man a look. “They’ve been letting him wander into hospitals and heal the sick with his runes.”  
  
“It works. No one is getting hurt. I don’t see the problem.” Lancer shrugged.  
  
“Illnesses can’t just be healed with magecraft.” Rin looked at the man as well, trying to comprehend what they meant.  
  
“They can’t, but runes work a little different than your typical magic. He would take care of the symptoms and found issues in certain cases when doctors and those hospital workers would say they couldn’t. In return, they paid him.”  
  
“Still, one wrong move and he could have killed them.”  
  
“Caster’s damn good.”  
  
Still, damn good wasn’t necessarily perfect.  
  
“You still shouldn’t be trusted to shop.” Archer replied, returning them to the original argument.  
  
“Complain to someone who cares. It’s a little alcohol and fish. Fish is good for muscle.”  
  
As Archer turned his focus towards arguing with Lancer, Rin focused on the deep burgundy color of her tea. Her mind wandered through the possibilities. She needed to go see Shirou, alone. If what Archer said was true, which she had no doubt of at this point in time, then going with Lancer or one of the others would end with a fight.  
  
She would need to talk to Shirou alone, explain what she knew and find out what had brought things to this point.  
  
He couldn’t have hurt her. He wouldn’t have…  
  
“Rin,” Lancer growled, dragging her from her thoughts.  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“You were daydreamin’.” Lancer flicked at the hood of Caster’s coat, shaking his head. “You’re still tired.”  
  
“I’m not. I was just thinking.”  
  
Lancer opened his mouth, but a plate settled in front of him, turning his attention to the other servant in the room.  
  
“Eat. If I’m supposed to be your ally, I don’t want you failing on me because you’ve been eating out my master instead of eating a proper diet.”  
  
“I assume you slept last night,” Lancer replied, eyeing the food warily before Rin rolled her eyes, stealing the first bite of his eggs. He glanced at her a moment before shrugging, beginning to eat heartily.  
  
As though Archer would honestly poison him.  
  
“I found time to rest,” Archer told him. “Although your shouting could have been taken down a notch.”  
  
“It was fun. Although you wouldn’t know much about that, would you?”  
  
“Fun better not be on those sheets.”  
  
“We didn’t piss on ‘em if that’s what you’re asking.”  
  
“I expect that of Berserker, not you. You I expect to find lotion, tissues, and cum on the sheets. I imagine Rin slept the entire night away waiting for you to get anywhere.”  
  
“Sorry, my ears aren’t workin’ right today. I had her climaxing so much that my name is still echoing in my ears.”  
  
“Are you sure that was climaxing? She wasn’t just beating you in with your lance? I imagine you’ll take it any way you can get it.”  
  
“Do you want to test me that far, Archer? I imagine you’ll bend over a counter far quicker than-“  
  
“SHUT UP!”  
  
She hit them both, hard. Archer fell over as Lancer winced, rubbing at his head.  
  
“Geez, Master. We were just having a debate-“  
  
“I don’t want to hear about my night being debated by you both! Let me enjoy my damn tea!”  
  
“Archer started it.”  
  
Rin just gave the man a look, trying to fathom how life had gotten to this point. Of all the damn things, she would end up having to find a way to get away from a pervert and a bitter future Shirou.  
  
“Rin,” Caster’s voice called out, reaching them only for Rin to sigh. “Rin, have you seen my coat?”  
  
Lancer choked on his food, snickering with Archer as Caster poked his head into the kitchen.  
  
“Rin- Oh.” The man looked over and smirked. “I see you’ve made advantage of it not being in use.”  
  
“I’ll go get dressed.” Rin stood up only to earn both servants nearby’s hands on her shoulders, pushing her down.  
  
Lancer pushed a handful of eggs onto her tea saucer.  
  
“Eat, you need your energy.”  
  
“You do,” Archer agreed. “Before we consider how to approach Shirou and look for magus in the area, we need to ensure that you’ll have the energy to fight.”  
  
“I don’t mind you borrowing my coat.” Caster moved around the counter, settling at the island on her other side. “It suits you.”  
  
Archer set a plate in front of the man, earning a look of surprise from the rune loving lancer.  
  
“Eat.”  
  
“I mean- I won’t argue, but it’s a bit surprising to be fed.”  
  
“Archer is an excellent cook,” Rin pointed out.  
  
“And also the future of that kid we attacked the other week,” Lancer added.  
  
“Huh? That kid who was with Saber?”  
  
“Mhmm,” Lancer confirmed.  
  
Caster shrugged, beginning to eat.  
  
“You aren’t bothered by that fact?” Archer’s question was only a voiced echo of what she was thinking as Rin looked at the man quietly eating. She would have at least expected something from him. Lancer had at least asked questions, upset with her for wanting to see Shirou.  
  
“We didn’t own eggs.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Caster motioned at the food. “We didn’t buy eggs. We got alcohol, chocolate, cigarettes, and regular supplies, but we didn’t get eggs.”  
  
“I went out and bought them this morning. Berserker watched the perimeter.”  
  
Caster nodded, resuming his meal.  
  
“Oi, Caster. That explains nothing,” Lancer pointed out.  
  
Caster let out a long sigh, brushing back his hair. “You all are very annoying about this. Archer fought and then came to our side. He bought real food. He’s feeding us. He ensured the house was covered. I trust him as one should trust someone that has joined your army. I won’t go out on a limb, but I won’t turn him away.” The man huffed. “Let me eat my damn eggs.”  
  
Rin leaned over to him and kissed his cheek, grinning. “I’m glad to see someone can be reasonabl-“  
  
The man yanked her from her seat, slipping her onto his lap before resuming his meal. Her body was pressed against his chest, killing the compliment.  
  
“I smell food.” Prototype entered, taking one look at the situation and climbing into Rin’s former seat. Rin felt his hand coasting up her back from beneath the jacket, making her look over her shoulder at the shit eating grin on Proto’s face.  
  
“Prototype…”  
  
“I heard we get to train you today, Rin.”  
  
“I agreed to training, since it was pointed out that I could use the exercise for continuing to improve my healing and movement capabilities.”  
  
“Should be fun. I’ll make sure to start easy with ya. We’ll make a good lancer out of you.”  
  
“Archery would still be more fitting,” Archer pointed out. “Long distance means you don’t have to let them close. Less chances for being attacked and taking damage.”  
  
“Until someone sees where you’re hiding.”  
  
“And then comes to attack in close combat,” Lancer added, nodding at Prototype.  
  
Archer shrugged, turning away for another moment before he glanced towards the doorway. “Is Berserker not coming down?”  
  
“He wanted to sleep a little longer. He shoved me out of bed as soon as Caster left, the asshole.”  
  
Archer frowned, heading out of the room.  
  
“You’re all going to get dressed,” Rin asked, “Right? I can’t have you all running around naked in my house.”  
  
We have pants on.” Lancer pointed out.  
  
Rin hopped off her seat, heading for the door as the men snickered. “I’m going to go get dressed and then we can start that training you were talking about, Lancer.”  
  
“You think you’re ready for that?”  
  
“Just get dressed and meet me in the backyard.”  
  
Lancer nodded and Rin looked over at Caster, thinking for a moment before she spoke up. “Caster, if you and Berserker could wander out, I’ll make a list of new books that I would like for you both to look for. Since you both are good with magic, I think it would be best that the two of you went to get me replacements for some of what I lost. There a few texts that I know I would like copies once again.”  
  
“Make your list. We’ll get the texts for you.”  
  
She nodded, turning around and heading out of the room.  
  
“And what would you like me to do, Rin?” Rin looked up, seeing Archer standing on the staircase.  
  
“Can you please wander out and make sure to restock anything we’re missing in terms of supplies. Lancer and the others are good when it comes to survival, but survival doesn’t mean I get my tea choices or that I have the proper soaps or other luxury items that I would want.”  
  
“That can be done. It might take a while to collect what items I know that you are fond of.”  
  
“Take as long as you need.” Rin moved around the bannister. She pat him on the shoulder and nodded slightly to herself. “Apparently, I’m going to be learning how to fight from Lancer.”  
  
“If you find it’s a waste of time, you know someone who knows archery.”  
  
Rin grinned, “I am more of a magic oriented fighter.”  
  
Archer just grinned, moving down the stairs and into the kitchen. The sound of bickering began soon enough, bringing a sigh out of her before she moved up the stairs.  
  
With Archer, Berserker, and Caster out of the house, that left her with two men to slip away from. Just two. While part of her still debated the use of doing this, it was the only real opportunity she was going to get. Waiting would mean she would have more of them to escape from. Running with all of them around would lessen the chance of making it to Shirou’s home.  
  
And she had to make it to Shirou’s.  
  
They needed to talk. First, for her to apologize for Lancer and the other two attacking. Second, for them to become allies once again and be able to find out who did start the fire.  
  
Simple.  
  
She was already dreading what was to come.  
  
Rin handed her list to Berserker, ensuring there were books on the listing that would take them a good portion of the day and to a variety of bookstores in order to find. She watched Archer head the rest of the way down the road, disappearing a moment after Caster and Berserker left.  
  
And that left-  
  
“Ah, finally,” Prototype wrapped an arm around her shoulders, grinning boldly. “Just the three of us.”  
  
“Come on,” Lancer smacked the man upside the head with his weapon, motioning for them to follow. “The backyard isn’t the best, but it has the most space for this. We’ll start with basic handlings and at least get that down before the others get back.”  
  
“Handling isn’t that bad,” Prototype pointed out. “We could probably get to basic attacks.”  
  
“Why don’t you both let me show you what I can do before you judge how far we can get.” Rin reached for Cu’s lance, but Lancer spun it quickly behind himself, sweeping his legs under her. The ground came up to meet her ass within seconds.  
  
“See, that was rude.” Proto crossed his arms.  
  
“Gae Bolg is not a weapon for those untrained,” Lancer chastised. “We’ll start with the poles from your cleaning supplies. When you’ve managed to knock Proto down with one, then we’ll consider real lances.”  
  
“Fine.” Rin held up her hand, earning two sets of pitying eyes.  
  
“You’ve gotta stand on your own, Rin.”  
  
“Bossy shit’s right,” Proto agreed.  
  
“Fine,” she huffed lightly, climbing back to her feet and looking around.  
  
“Proto, grab the poles,” Lancer motioned Rin towards the center of the yard. “Rin, we’re going to focus on stances.”  
  
She moved, watching the other take charge.


	12. Chapter 12

They completely left her battered and out of breath.  
  
Or rather, Prototype did.  
  
“Come on, Rin.” Lancer clapped his leg, sitting crosslegged on a table nearby. “Even Caster can whip Prototype’s ass.”  
  
“That’s not making me feel better!” She ducked a blow. Finally. She grinned as she heard clapping, but a leg slipped beneath hers and the ground was once more under her ass.  
  
“Rin!”  
  
Rin stared up at the sky, noting the sun descending now. There was sweat running down her back. Her legs hurt. Her arms hurt. The pole she had been given, so light when they had started, was now an enormous pain to hold longer than a moment.  
  
“You know,” Rin looked over at him. “I am starting to think you’re not fighting me because Prototype can kick your ass.”  
  
“I could.” Proto beamed, nodding.  
  
“Huh?!”  
  
“I’m just thinking,” Rin stood up, brushing herself off. “You have it easy, standing there and telling me what to do, but Proto has been hard to fight and you spent most of this morning just telling me to stick my ass out or tighten my grip.” His words had been a myriad of sexual innuendos once he had found she was getting embarrassed, making her squirm and fail miserably against a snickering Prototype.  
  
Lancer stood up, stalking her way a moment before the weight of the pole was relieved from her. He spun it around and aimed it towards Prototype.  
  
“I’ll make quick work of you and we can continue.”  
  
“You think it’ll be quick?” Proto’s smile darkened.  
  
“If you both are going to be quick, I’ll head inside and start a shower.”  
  
Both men’s gaze flickered her way.  
  
“Whichever one of you can finish this and make it inside…” God, she didn’t know what she would manage to be able to do with that kind of statement, but Proto took full advantage of the opportunity. His bark of a laugh sounded a moment before they were at it. Lancer’s body flipped backwards, grip spinning the pole in hand before he pounced.  
  
They were fluid in their movements, doing things that she knew now to be impossibly difficult. It hurt to watch, knowing what she knew now. They ducked and dodged blows she had taken to the stomach and legs. They struck at one another with a finality that made the morning look like child’s play.  
  
It had been, despite her opinion otherwise.  
  
Rin turned, slipping into the backdoor and rushing to the front. Slipping through the front door was just as easy. The road was soon enough under her feet and she sprinted as fast as her feet would let her.  
  
Shirou’s house wasn’t far.  
  
With the men all out doing this and that, it wouldn’t be difficult to get through what she needed to talk to Shirou about. They could come to an understanding.  
  
Turning the corner, Rin continued to run, ignoring the pain in her legs as she went. The next corner came a little fast, another string of pain running up her legs as she skidded to a halt and turned onto the next road.  
  
Just a little farther.  
  
A sword slammed down as she made it to Shirou’s house. Having just been training, Rin could only chalk up being able to avoid being hit by it because of Lancer and Prototype. She spun back, hands dragging across the ground to help stop her from rolling.  
  
Saber held her stomach, looking out at her. A ring of greenish bruising went around her neck, healing, but no doubt still painful. Her hair was greasy. Her eyes heavy with bags underneath.  
  
“Saber!”  
  
“What are you doing here, Rin?”  
  
“Saber! I came to talk! Where’s Shirou?”  
  
The blonde stepped forward, moving down the steps slowly. Once she was on the ground, Rin could see why. Her leg was wrapped in a splint, making her movement slow. Her body, usually fluid, was dealing with dragging the less useful leg along as she came into full view.  
  
“Shirou isn’t receiving guests.”  
  
“Saber,” Rin winced, shaking her head a little before taking a step forward.  
  
“Rin, don’t.” Saber held up a hand. “We were allies for the war, but that is over and intentions were made clear.”  
  
“Saber, I need to talk to Shirou.”  
  
“He’s sleeping.”  
  
“SHIROU!” Rin started towards the house again only to find Saber beginning to crouch.  
  
“Take another step and I’ll have no choice but to attack.”  
  
“Saber, listen-“  
  
“Rin, I told you. Intentions were made clear enough already.”  
  
Unbelievable.  
  
Rin took a step back, watching Saber’s weapon return to her hand. She must have materialized it into her hand.  
  
There was no other options at this point. There were no other reasons for this. The two had attacked her. They had started the fire and someone else had been possibly involved.  
  
Rin took another step back, preparing to run when pain lanced up her leg. Her legs were giving in. Given the amount of pressure she had put them through this morning, it was not terribly surprising, but it meant there wouldn’t be any running.  
  
Already, she wasn’t sure if she could walk.  
  
Saber’s arm drew back. The sword was going to be thrown again.  
  
“I wouldn’t recommend that.”  
  
A figure appeared behind the woman, grabbing her arm as Rin felt herself being picked up lightly. The clawlike hands held her close, a tail moving just on the edge of her peripheral vision.  
  
Berserker looked over at Saber, eyes narrowing.  
  
Caster leaned forward, looking at the woman. “Don’t you think?”  
  
“Release me this instant.”  
  
“Our master wants to speak to yours. Surely as a servant, you understand what it means to have a master come without their servants surrounding them. She offered you a peaceful moment to speak and you offered her violence. Does this mean you wish to continue the war between us?”  
  
Saber’s gaze flickered to berserker, her other hand going to her neck lightly. “He needs time to heal… He’s barely been able to keep his mana stable. Something has gone wrong with his healing abilities.”  
  
Rin nodded. “When he heals…”  
  
“I’m not sure how much he will want to talk to you, Rin. Right now, I don’t want to speak to any of you.”  
  
“Tell Shirou that we need to talk.”  
  
The woman just stared at her.  
  
“Just him and myself. We’ll talk for ten minutes. Servants at a distance. No weapons. No violence.”  
  
“We’ll pick the place.”  
  
Rin nodded.  
  
Caster released the woman, clapping a little as he walked around her. “See? Was that so difficult? It’s amazing what happens when one stops thinking like an idiot and remembers to hold their tongue.” The man moved easily, loping towards them and motioning for Berserker. “Come on. We need to get back before the others notice we’ve been gone too long.”  
  
The act was good. She would give them that. Caster waved at Saber as they walked through the front gates, turning the corner and heading down the road.  
  
It almost was easy to believe that they had planned this whole run in, but Berserker stopped, setting her on a bench nearby.  
  
“You went to Shirou’s.”  
  
The words brought a wince to her face. “I had to see him.”  
  
“I don’t think you were successful,” Caster stated.  
  
“I had to know for myself that they had done it.”  
  
“You couldn’t trust your servants’ word?”  
  
The words made the whole thing worse. Rin rubbed at her legs, trying to make the pain die down. Unfortunately, the attention seemed to just draw Berserker’s gaze. A low growl escaped him, making him move forward once again and hold up one of her legs.  
  
She held her skirts down as the man glanced at Caster and then to her.  
  
“You’ve managed to aggravate your mana circuits and stretch all the muscles.”  
  
“I was in a hurry.”  
  
“No, you were careless.” Berserker sighed. “And so were those two idiots watching you. Enough of that. Caster and I will take charge. What did you do with Archer?”  
  
“Archer is getting actual supplies for the house.”  
  
“Good.” Berserker picked her up again. “I’m in charge until you are in my opinion deemed fit for movement and battle. Your stunt has brought us back several steps in the healing process.”  
  
“Berserker-“  
  
“Don’t test him.” Caster walked alongside them as Rin found herself over Berserker’s shoulder. “We’ve spent half the day looking for this last book only to find out that it’s overseas.”  
  
She winced. “Did you order it?”  
  
“We did, but when we found out that it would take the whole day, we started getting suspicious. Your list is halfway done.”  
  
“And Caster can take one of the idiots and go find the rest.” Berserker just stalked along the roads, tail dematerializing as a family came into view. The strangers walked passed without looking their way.  
  
“I should have told you,” Rin relented, shaking her head.  
  
“You should have told me,” Berserker growled. “The idiots, I get. They’re physically incompetent and mentally inept. I, however, have given you no reason to distrust me. I listen. I act. I kill. I am direct. You prefer direct, do you not? Is that not why you went to confirm yourself that it was true rather than trust someone’s word?”  
  
“That’s true.”  
  
His reasoning for her doing what she had done was her only chance to get in his good graces. She wouldn’t let that slip by.  
  
Berserker held onto her a little tighter, another annoyed sound leaving him.  
  
“Then I see no reason for your lack of trust in me.”  
  
“Rin?”  
  
Rin could only curse inside as Archer appeared behind Berserker now. Caster’s quiet presence made itself known as he greeted the other quietly.  
  
“What is this?”  
  
“Punishment.” Caster motioned at her, leaving her with no choice but to groan. Her face pressed against Berserker’s back. “Rin decided to try to see Shirou.”  
  
Lancer and Prototype were standing at the front gates to the house, both waiting.  
  
“You saw my signal,” Caster confirmed.  
  
“Hard to miss.”  
  
Rin didn’t look up, remaining tightly against Berserker. Not a damn word. Not a damn sound. They would only become more upset.  
  
“Yes, well,” Caster hesitated a little. “Seeing as both of you were unable to watch over master and ensure she didn’t overexert herself like Berserker warned, Berserker has decided to take the reins for the time being. Being that he has assisted in healing, ensuring all preparations are in place, and found Master- I think it’s probably a wise idea.”  
  
“Rin-“  
  
“Her legs are swollen and we found her being attacked by Saber,” Berserker seethed, hoisting her body up his shoulder a little more. “I think it’s clear how well allowing you to hold control is working. You’re all lovesick idiots falling for any kind word thrown your way. Or is there some other reason you two were so distracted that you didn’t notice our master leaving?”  
  
Silence went around before Archer spoke up.  
  
“I could-“  
  
“You? Did you think it was maybe important to mention that you were the kid’s future self? Perhaps that was something you should have mentioned when you were pledging allegiance, huh?” Berserker stalked once more, opening the front door before Rin could see the carpeted floors.  
  
“What’s the plan, Berserker?” Caster was following close at hand from the sound of it.  
  
“Rin is going upstairs. I have circuits to finish opening up in her legs. Lancer and Prototype can finish that damn list she gave us. As for that Red Archer, see to it that nothing he brought into the house could be something to use against Rin.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
Rin could barely keep in place as they headed up the stairs. As they went down the hallway, all she could think of was the abysmal way she had handled things. While Lancer had commanded the others here and there, she hadn’t realized that he had been in charge. He had always deferred to her. Archer joining them had been her decision. Moving back to the house had been her decision.  
  
Despite the fact he had pushed her at times, it hadn’t felt like she had lost control.  
  
Being tossed onto the bed and watching as Berserker barricaded the door with his abilities, Rin could only think about how she had lost control. A good part of her wished Archer or Lancer had found her. Prototype wouldn’t have let it come down to this.  
  
“Strip. Lay flat. Try not to scream.”  
  
The commands were clear, worded with a look that demanded immediate obedience.  
  
“Berserker-“  
  
“Strip. Lay flat. Don’t scream.”  
  
She glared at him, holding herself upright as she remained in place. “Berserker. You said yourself that I like directness. You can understand-“  
  
He grabbed one of her legs, giving it a sharp enough tug that her body lost balance. She toppled over onto the sheets a moment before he was tossing the shoes off. The socks went next before he yanked her skirts and panties off in a painful tug. The sound of tearing could be heard, but she didn’t bother to look at them. Her hands shot straight to her crotch.  
  
“Arms.”  
  
“Ber-“  
  
The small sigh was the only sign she got before he reached to her neck and tore the fabric open. Her bra was off before he could demand again.  
  
“Lay down,” he growled.  
  
Rin moved further away from him, trying to get some distance for talking.  
  
“I warned you, I’m not like Lancer and them. I won’t succumb to doe eyes and honeyed words, woman. Lay down or I will force you to lay down.”  
  
“You could ask.”  
  
“Oh? And you would listen?” He motioned for her to lay down again and Rin sighed. She lay back a moment before he yanked her towards the edge of the bed.  
  
“Why did I have to strip for this?”  
  
“Because I’m going to be altering every single circuit in your body. It’s not a pleasant experience and clothing tends to restrict the body.”  
  
“You’re what-“ The sheets constricted, holding her down a moment before he got started. Nails dug in, the pain in her legs going from the dull pain they had been at to a shocking, electrical sensation. It dug it’s way upwards. She felt her breath leave her.  
  
Of course she tried to fight it, but the man held her in place. There was no getting away.  
  
Once again, she was trapped and helpless.  
  
The scream that ripped out of her echoed in the room, but no one was coming. The sound of footsteps and shouting was quickly stopped. She never heard anyone knock or bang on the door. Probably because the door was gone.  
  
Those red eyes flashed and glowed whenever she looked his way. The unending focus was on moving up her body. When he reached her stomach, she was sure this was what death actually felt like. Burning- nothing in comparison. She hadn’t had the shock kick in until she looked. For this, every nerve in her body was attuned to the pain.  
  
And it kept changing.  
  
Perhaps if it hadn’t, she could have breathed through it. She could have forced herself to calm down and take it. Yet it didn’t stay the same. It ebbed and flowed. The pain would increase to the point that vision turned to white and she could hear her heart beating against her chest. Then, when she was close to blacking out, the pain would recede, focusing on one side of her body until she couldn’t bear having those body parts.  
  
Better no left arm than the pain. Better to just lose the stomach than bear the torment.  
  
Rin shut her eyes and bit down on her tongue. Maybe.  
  
She couldn’t feel it if she did.


	13. Chapter 13

It took them well until nightfall to find the rest of the list that Rin had requested.  
  
Lancer looked over at Prototype as they headed up towards Rin’s home. “You do realize we can’t leave Berserker in control for long, right?”  
  
“I thought he was gonna kill us when he found us fighting.”  
  
The kid’s voice was hollow, a feeling he understood well.  
  
The man had leaped into the midst of their battle, knocking them both back from their fight. The proceeding onslaught of claws and scales and blood had left them both on the ground. All they could do was stare up at the man as he practically foamed at the mouth.  
  
His bones still ached from where he had decided to break his legs. Prototype had enjoyed broken arms from the attack.  
  
It had made them come to a good understanding with one another though: Berserker was not one to fuck around with.  
  
“Master wouldn’t even look up. I think she even knows she messed up in summoning him.”  
  
“No doubt.”  
  
They both sighed.  
  
“Cigarette time?” Proto looked over at him.  
  
“Yeah, I think it’s time for a cigarette break. I doubt that we’ll be able to do much right now at the house anyway.” Lancer reached into his pocket only to feel a third presence turn up. He glanced over his shoulder and held up the pack for Archer to grab from. “Come on, Red. You might as well join us.”  
  
“Do you realize-“  
  
“Save it.” Proto pulled out a lighter, taking a cigarette himself and leaning against the front wall of the house. “It ain’t worth talkin’ about.”  
  
Archer stared at them both before leaning against the wall himself. He stared at the cigarette, debating for a moment before he pressed the end to Lancer’s and drew a long drag of the thing. He sighed, shaking his head.  
  
“Rin was screaming for hours. I can’t even find the door to her room at this point.”  
  
“Illusionary work. It’s still there.”  
  
Lancer nodded at Proto’s words. “He’s right. My guess is that he’s fuckin’ with Rin’s mana again.” He motioned towards the house. “Any dead animals around?”  
  
“Half the yard is dead,” Archer replied.  
  
The two nodded. Proto sighing. “To be fair, this ain’t our fault. Rin made the decision to run to Shirou’s house. She did ask multiple times.”  
  
“We asked her to wait.” Lancer stared at the burning tobacco, scowling. “We agreed to a week. Two maybe. What she did violates trust.”  
  
“Still, she doesn’t deserve to be in pain.”  
  
They all slumped to the ground at that, nodding at the words.  
  
It was quiet on the street for once, the skies clear for the first time in a while. Still, in the distance, the sound of thunder could be heard. The storms were perhaps on the other side of the house, just out of view.  
  
But in the end, it didn’t matter.  
  
A second cigarette came after the first. As Archer began to smoke the second one, he coughed violently, earning a pat on the back from the other two.  
  
“Not too deep,” Proto chastised. “We’re incapable of being hurt by a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean to breathe the whole thing in.”  
  
“Never smoked before,” the man replied.  
  
“Goes well with fishing.” Lancer glanced over at him. “So you’re really that kid?”  
  
“Emiya Shirou?” Archer snorted, taking another drag. “I haven’t gone by a name in a long enough time, but I’m what’s possible.”  
  
“Damn. You’re an idiot.”  
  
Prototype snickered, quickly starting to cough as the smoke went the wrong way.  
  
“You two fought for trying to impress her?” Archer leaned back again, looking up towards the sky. “Trying to beat yourself to impress a woman.”  
  
“You kidnapped her and expected your past self to save her. We’re not gonna hear that shit from you.”  
  
“I suppose we’re both guilty of doing stupid things because of emotions.”  
  
They sighed again, watching the clouds begin to darken the skies. The longer they sat there, the closer the embers came to the butt of the cigarettes. The package was retrieved from Lancer’s pocket and they all settled with a third.  
  
“I can’t believe Saber attacked Rin.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Archer shook his head. “Saber likes Rin. She considers the woman a friend.”  
  
“We did kick her ass,” Proto pointed out.  
  
“Doesn’t matter in the end. We’re here.”  
  
“For how long though?” Archer glanced over at Lancer, “you can’t say it doesn’t matter when we don’t know how long we’ll all be here.”  
  
“I’m gonna stop you right there. Don’t get all metaphorical on me.”  
  
“Yeah, don’t do that,” Proto agreed.  
  
“We’re here,” Lancer nodded to himself, flicking the cigarette to the road. “That’s all that matters. We’ll fight until we win and then we’ll fight some more. Whatever happens otherwise is either damn good or not worth pissing over.”  
  
“What’s your plan in all this then? Berserker won’t let us near Rin alone. I was watched the entire time I was putting the last of the supplies away.”  
  
Lancer leaned back, blinking away a raindrop as it fell onto his face.  
  
“Come on, Bossy. At least have something in mind.”  
  
“I’m thinking.” Lancer waved the other off.  
  
“We could rescue Rin,” Archer offered.  
  
“She ain’t in danger, Archer. Not necessarily anyway.” Lancer glanced towards the house. “We just gotta get Rin back into her own. Berserker will back off if Rin takes charge again. We need her able bodied though.”  
  
“That’s Berserker and Caster’s speciality though.”  
  
“I’ll look at the books that have been brought to the house. Maybe there’s something there that will increase the healing process.”  
  
“There’ll be more tomorrow.” Proto grinned. “I’ll help you look. Least I can do since it’s only partially my fault we’re in this mess.”  
  
“I’m going to try to talk to Rin.” Lancer stood up. “I need to see how she’s doing.”  
  
“Fine.” Archer brushed himself off, standing up as well. “I’ll be in the study if you need me.”  
  
“Need us,” Proto moved around him, walking through the front gates. “Come on. We might as well get started.”  
  
Lancer watched them head inside and paused, shutting his eyes.  
  
Proto was too young still. Archer was negligent in feeling Celtic magic. What Berserker had done was far more than simply working on the mana circuits in Rin’s body. He was altering them, pulling life away from the surrounding area to fuel her further.  
  
He was going to use her like a power source.  
  
It was something that had concerned him the first few times that Berserker and Caster had been left alone with Rin. Something that had plagued his thoughts when Rin had been resting for all this time. She ate far too little and rested far too much. What food they had put into her had been bird feed.  
  
Now, with Berserker taking control, he wasn’t sure if there would be a way to back the man down. Using their master in that kind of manner was unacceptable.  
  
He moved around the house as Caster greeted the other two, slipping up the back walls to Rin’s window. There was no reason to bother with entering the house. It would be a fool’s errand in the end, since the door was cast upon.  
  
Materializing Gae Bolg wasn’t the issue, it was getting the window open. He moved quietly, quickly; wedging the blade in the crack beneath the windowpane.  
  
It moved, if only enough that he could slip his fingers beneath the opening and lift it up further.  
  
Lancer moved inside, looking around for any signs of the Berserker as he went. In finding nothing else, he moved to the bed, finding Rin asleep.  
  
The circuits could be clearly seen now, pulsing with a level of energy that was beyond her normal range. Each movement of air earned a twitch or quiver from the woman. Each breath was hurting to take.  
  
Once again, he found himself looking around before he acted. Slipping beneath the covers, he pressed his body to hers only to feel her hands press against his chest.  
  
“No… Please, no…”  
  
“Rin.”  
  
Those eyes, deep, dark blues, opened drowsily, looking over at him. “…Lancer.”  
  
“Hey there,” he brushed her bangs back. “How’s the mana?”  
  
“It all hurts.” Her voice cracked. “It’s worse than the burning.”  
  
“Yeah, I can see that.”  
  
“Make it stop.” Rin leaned her head against his arm, barely able to move her arms. “Make the pain stop, Cu. I can’t take it anymore.”  
  
“I don’t know how far away Berserker is. I’m not supposed to be in here.”  
  
“Lancer… Cu Chulainn… Please…”  
  
He looked around a moment, thinking.  
  
“Cu-“  
  
“Let me get some stuff in place. I can probably help, but you gotta let me prep this room beforehand. Otherwise I’ll be dragged out of here before we’re done.”  
  
She nodded.  
  
The cigarette break had probably been a bad idea. He could still taste some of the smoke in his mouth. No doubt, when Rin kissed him, she would taste it as well. Like kissin’ the remains of her damn house. He was going to be giving the damn pack to Proto at this point.  
  
He locked the window, doing a step further than Berserker in that he jammed an object from the desk against the top part. That would keep it from moving due to someone trying what he had done.  
  
The doorway though…  
  
There wasn’t a door by the look of it. Even knowing it was an illusion, Lancer knew one attempt to locate and prep the door would only alert Berserker and Caster. The two would come upstairs and to the room before he could relieve his master of some of her mana.  
  
Honestly, he couldn’t try to take her at this time.  
  
The pain would only worsen before it got better and Rin was to a point where the pain realistically couldn’t increase. The sounds of her mewls were undeniable. The fact she was at that point was testament to the pain in and of itself.  
  
Still, she wouldn’t be able to last long with the pain.  
  
Berserker would be back soon and Rin would be drained and then powered up again.  
  
What he needed were her damn gems. She was always using those things before. No doubt she put some of her mana into them by-  
  
He was across the room and to the bed before he could think the thought through. His hands pulled hers to his chest.  
  
“I want you to channel mana into me.”  
  
“What?” The question came out breathless, tired.  
  
“Channel mana into me. That’s how your gems worked, wasn’t it?”  
  
“Yes, but-“  
  
“Do it.” He held her hands closer to himself. “You’ve got too much energy. Give some of it to me. Let me have some of the pain.”  
  
Rin just stared at him a moment before nodding. Those blue eyes closed once again, her hands warming against his chest before the onslaught came.  
  
Obnoxious energy flowed from her. He could feel his senses heighten. The smell of fresh paint and new fabrics reached his nose. The dust particles reflected in the little amount of light from outside drifted before his eyes. Each and every inch of Rin’s face was noticeable. He could feel her skin against his. Every single damn inch was noticeable.  
  
It flowed into him until he felt like he could use Gae Bolg to kill everyone. Limitless power echoed through his being as her mana circuits slowly faded. Her breathing slowed. Her eyes opening a little more as she pulled her hands away slowly.  
  
She hugged him, pressing her lips to his as he leaned over her, trying to breathe through it all. His body was alive and wild, ready for the hunt.  
  
“Thank you,” she breathed. The sheets were kicked away before she wrapped herself around him more, forcing him to sit down. “Thank you…”  
  
He pressed his face to hers, taking in the feeling. Her mouth tasted as sweet as ever. Her body was so frail in his arms.  
  
“Thank you,” she told him again, brushing his hair back.  
  
“Rin,” he pulled back, shutting his eyes as he tried to think through the urge to take her and run. He could defend her alone, kill her enemies alone. They didn’t need anyone.  
  
“Does it hurt?”  
  
“It’s fine.” He slipped an arm around her waist, pressing his forehead to hers again. “It’s fine, Rin. I just need a minute to think through it.”  
  
She nodded, knowing full well what the feeling was like. Her lips pressed against his chest, his neck. Anywhere that was exposed, she took her time to press her lips against. Even as he closed his eyes, trying to let her touch soothe what adrenaline was running through him, he found himself still tempted.  
  
“We do everything together.” Rin pulled away enough to look up at him. “I won’t plan anything until we agree. Berserker is too much. He just-“ She glanced towards the wall where her door should have been. “Berserkers are not meant to have control. They’re too reckless.”  
  
“Berserker will insist to be in charge until you are well again.”  
  
“I can move again.”  
  
“Moving doesn’t mean much. Don’t forget you were attacked earlier.”  
  
“I was attacked here too.”  
  
Lancer brushed her hair back, far too energetic still. He pressed his forehead to hers, watching her begin to blush. He dematerialized the clothes from his back, enjoying the skin to skin.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“Gods, you feel good.” He kissed her again. “I do need to leave you before Berserker comes back.”  
  
“N-“  
  
“Shhh,” he pressed his mouth to hers again, enjoying the feeling. “I’m gonna come back in the morning. Or maybe he’ll let me come in here in a bit. I’ll bring you something to eat.”  
  
“I won’t be a prisoner in my own home!”  
  
Was he still getting mana from her? It felt like it. A bubbling, giddy feeling was working its way through him. Her touch was electrifying. He drank her in with every kiss, taking it all in as he slid his hands up her waist.  
  
“Lancer!”  
  
“I’ll come back. Let me work this out.”  
  
“You’re running on too much mana.”  
  
“I’m fine.” He pulled himself off the bed somehow. Not sure how, but he managed it. The window came quickly enough. He pulled the jammed object out and materialized his clothes back on. “Wait here. I’ll come back.”  
  
“Lancer!”  
  
He just jumped down. His feet took in a split second of pain before he easily walked towards the backdoor. He grabbed their training weapons on the way.  
  
It was time for the spontaneous plan to begin.


	14. Chapter 14

“You’re coming through the wrong door,” Caster told him, sitting at the island in the kitchen.  
  
Of course he had. Cu held up the two handles, showing the Caster and Berserker as he walked in and settled at the table. “Grabbed these,” he told them simply. “How’s Rin?”  
  
Tell me how she’s wounded, he thought to them both. Tell me how her mana is flowing uncontrollably because you want her to be nothing more than a battery for power and strength. Tell us how mad you’ve become, Berserker.  
  
Caster looked over at Berserker nearby, ignorant to it all.  
  
“She’s resting.” Berserker replied, shrugging a shoulder. “The circuits are fine, but her leg muscles are stretched and torn. She’ll need time to let the mana running through her heal that issue. I’ll be heading back up there to deal with her again soon.”  
  
“I should check on her,” Lancer offered.  
  
“You’ve done enough,” Berserker motioned for him to sit. “You’ve been gathering mana, I sense?”  
  
“Here and there.”  
  
It was running like fire through his veins. If madness could have a form, it would be the mana running through him. It would be this overwhelming power that was coddling him and purring to him to do things he shouldn’t. The urge to test his luck a second time with Berserker was just on the tip of his tongue, but he needed time. The power was wild and he needed to gather the reins. He was exerting more energy than necessary.  
  
“I’m glad to see you’re seeing things my way.” Berserker motioned for him to sit again and Lancer opted for a seat a bit further. He accepted the food from Caster easily.  
  
“And what way is that?”  
  
“Our master is in need of more power.” Berserker motioned around. “Her reliance on allies is admirable, suitable in some scenarios such as with the Archer, but we need to improve ourselves. I need her to understand that a little pain and sacrifice could mean down the road.”  
  
The woman upstairs could not handle any further pain. After the pain she had suffered in order to summon them, one would think that the Berserker would understand what this would mean to make her suffer again. One would think that anyone around would understand that she needed peace.  
  
He should have known, by the Berserker’s silence on building back up the house and changing the insides of her room that he had learned none of that.  
  
“She will be taking charge again once she heals,” Lancer pointed out.  
  
“Once she heals and proves she can hold her own, yes.” Berserker motioned to Caster. “Drag that Archer and Prototype down here. We need to keep them in sight.”  
  
“Isn’t it enough that Prototype is watching the man?” Lancer asked.  
  
“I don’t think so. They were too close when they came back.” Berserker was watching Caster move from the room. The pale coat slipped through the doorway and he nodded to himself. “There is a division in this house and it needs to be destroyed before the two have a chance to bond. Relationships are the bane of man. They allow us to coddle and indulge far too deeply. Right now, it is holding Rin back, but I will fix that. She will learn from her mistakes and become stronger. You will see.”  
  
“Prototype won’t like being watched,” Lancer warned. “Rin won’t want to have to do anything unnecessary either.”  
  
“Archer does not like being watched either, but our younger self is smarter than him. He’ll handle it or I will take care of the issues. As for our master, she is indulgent to our face.” Those eyes drifted to him, smile sending chills up his spine. “You have assured us all that anything that happens can be excused, building a level of trust within the woman that will not break simply due to a little pain and soreness.”  
  
Pain and soreness?  
  
His mind flickered back to the pain he had seen in the woman’s eyes. She had been looking like she had been on the verge of death itself.  
  
Prototype was walking in with Archer though, settling at the counter as Caster handed them both drinks and settled back behind the counter. The spoon he had used before was gone, nowhere to be found as the Caster looked around. Another spoon was pulled from a drawer, the man resuming his task.  
  
Berserker pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the mood. “I’m going to work on Rin again. Lancer, help Caster with the two. Set up rooms and make sure Archer is watched.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
Archer’s gaze flickered to him. He didn’t appreciate the orders.  
  
The man headed out of the room, leaving Caster to deflate against the stove.  
  
“He’s going too far,” Lancer growled at him. “Don’t you think?”  
  
Caster nodded. “He’s trying. Rin has proven that she’ll walk straight into danger without any regard to what we say. He’s bringing her to her senses.” Those eyes drifted to what he was stirring. The look in his eyes didn’t seem normal for him. After blending ingredients for balms and medicines, some of which he hadn’t made in eons, the look on his face now was new.  
  
Uncertain.  
  
Lancer frowned. “Is he though?”  
  
“Leave it alone. Rin will be fine. She’s a strong magus.” He tossed something else into his creation and nodded to himself. The look of uncertainty didn’t end.  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
“It’s for Rin. She won’t like it, but it’ll make the process more bearable. We won’t have to hear her scream too long with this.”  
  
“Caster,” Lancer moved to the man’s side, looking down at the bubbling concoction. “What is that?”  
  
“It’s something I discussed with Berserker while you three idiots were smoking on the doorstep. Berserker insists it will help. It’ll stop her from blacking out from pain. It’ll also help encourage her mana circuits to collect more energy according to Berserker. Or- he told me certain ingredients would encourage that.”  
  
“And you’re going to let your master eat this?”  
  
“It won’t go down well, but we’ll get it in her.” Caster pulled a bowl down from one of the cabinets. As he did, the spoon he had been stirring with fell in, creating a loud hissing as the long spoon was gone. The concoction had dissolved the metal spoon.  
  
There was no time to waste. Lancer lunged towards the Caster, grabbing the porcelain in his hands. The bowl smashed against his head, shattering loudly before the man’s body slumped against his.  
  
Archer was coming around immediately, bow at the ready as Proto was leaping onto the counter with his lance coming to hand. Their weapons lowered though, noting the Caster’s unconscious form. Lancer let him fall to the floor, listening.  
  
He could sense the mana in use. The berserker wasn’t quite to the bedroom yet.  
  
“Caster, you klutz,” Lancer complained a little loudly. “Can you believe this lanceless idiot?”  
  
Proto snorted. “What do you expect from him?”  
  
He held a hand to his chest, taking on Caster’s voice a bit. “Shut up, you two! Do you know how hot it is behind the stove?”  
  
“Excuses, excuses. You’re clearly not very good at making potions,” Proto drawled, leaning back a little on the counter. His balance was lost a moment, their act saved at the last moment as Archer stopped him from falling on his ass.  
  
“Just grab a bowl for me, idiot,” Lancer growled, doing his best to keep up the Caster voice.  
  
The two men moved closer as they all now felt Berserker moving along.  
  
“What’s the plan now?” Archer took the body off his hands, letting him finally have a moment to straighten. Proto grinned at him, patting the archer’s shoulder in thanks for the save.  
  
“One of you needs to clean this up,” Lancer murmured, motioning around. “Whatever you do, just get rid of this slop that Caster made.”  
  
“What’s it for?”  
  
“You don’t want to know.”  
  
Prototype dumped it in the sink, wincing. “It’s burning the sink.”  
  
Archer narrowed his eyes. “You’re attacking now?”  
  
“Berserker is thinking of using Rin to defeat her own enemies, but he’s gonna drain her. Caster just goes along with anything so I took him out for us for now. I think he sensed the mana output and decided not to test fate. Once we’re in charge again, he’ll side with us. He bends whatever way works best.”  
  
Prototype nodded at that.  
  
“And Rin?” Archer asked.  
  
“I left her upstairs to come down here. Berserker is heading up that way now.”  
  
“So why do you feel like you’re humming with energy?”  
  
Lancer shook his head, standing up. “Probably because our master had so much energy that it was killing her. I took some of it to make the pain lessen, but she’s still holding more than normal.”  
  
“What do you want us to do then, Lancer?”  
  
At this point, he had to act. Knocking out Caster had been impulsive and pushed the whole situation up. He had intended to wait until they were all asleep and then wander out with Rin. He could have wandered off into the distance with her for a while, maybe taken Prototype and Archer with him. They could have kept her safe and helped her prepare for fighting her own servants. Maybe recommended how to make her kill the other two. Instead, they would have to take back control and force Berserker down.  
  
“I want you near the stairs, Archer. Stay ready. If I feel like I’m losing, I’m going to head your way. Prototype, watch Caster.”  
  
“You think he’ll wake up?”  
  
“I have no doubt in mind. My luck isn’t that good.” Lancer looked around again and nodded. “Since I’ve got the most energy, I’ll head up after him.”  
  
They settled Caster onto the table, leaving Prototype in the doorway and Archer behind one of the sofas in the living area. As he mounted the stairs, Lancer glanced back, checking their positions.  
  
Everything was in place.  
  
Even as they were leaving the kitchen though, they could hear the screaming begin again. He rushed up the stairs, but he could feel Archer leave his position. The man couldn’t sit back. In his position, he wouldn’t have either.  
  
Lancer motioned him to follow, pointing at the wall before one of the man’s swords slammed against it. The dull color of the wall was disappearing, the magic cast upon it by the Caster downstairs unable to be kept up with the man unconscious. Lancer slammed his body into the door alongside Archer, Archer yanking his sword out as they went.  
  
Together, they spilled into the room, watching Berserker lean over Rin. The circuits in her legs were visible, but the man paused.  
  
“Get back downstairs.”  
  
Archer glanced at Rin a moment before looking at Berserker. “What purpose does this serve?”  
  
“Rin needs more energy. She could have summoned us stronger, quicker if she had held enough power before.” Berserker didn’t even attempt to act surprised. In the end, he could tell the man had expected resistance. He had expected to have this conversation. “You understand fleeing to power. This is just that, a move towards more power.”  
  
“This is cowardice,” Archer replied.  
  
“Is it? Or perhaps your emotions have the best of you.”  
  
He didn’t need to listen to this. Gae Bold was coming into fruition, humming with this newfound power. He lowered his stance, taking on a more offensive position before he lunged forward.  
  
The blade struck against its twin, Berserker’s gaze almost disappointed.  
  
“You think I’d be hurt by my own blade?”  
  
“Everyone dies when hit by Gae Bolg.”  
  
“I’m working to increase her power. Why are you complaining?”  
  
Why was he complaining?  
  
The woman lay with her body exposed and open, bleeding slightly onto the bed they had brought forth for her, the bed they had all hoped she would never suffer upon again. Instead, it was by their own hand that she was suffering now.  
  
And Berserker was asking why he was complaining?  
  
“No one can contain that much power. All you need is a heart and-“  
  
“And I’d have a grail. I’m aware. I don’t particularly have interest in a grail, but with that kind of power, our master could have everything.”  
  
“She doesn’t want anything though,” Archer pointed out, continuing to keep his aim from the doorway.  
  
“Everyone wants something.”  
  
Lancer growled at him. “Rin doesn’t need more power. She has enough. More than enough, dammit.”  
  
“But think of what we could achieve.” Those claws reached up, holding his face. “You felt it, didn’t you? I could sense you in here when I entered. You took some of that power and it feels nice, doesn’t it?” Those eyes focused on his, his hood falling back as the mana came in his direction. He was still pulling from the world around them to fuel their energy.  
  
And it felt damn good. Intoxicatingly good. The only thing better was getting it from Rin herself. His body hummed, mind fuzzing as he fought to hold himself together. His blade pressed against the man’s hand more, moving towards his neck.  
  
“Put your weapon down,” Berserker told him patiently. “Work with me, Lancer. Caster knows what the feeling is like and agrees with me.”  
  
“You’ll harm our master.”  
  
“You’re tempted,” Berserker observed, glancing at Archer. “You could have shot me at any time, but you aren’t. There’s no doubt in my mind that on some level even you understand what I’m trying to achieve. You know I’m not going to kill her. I’m just going to get close. She’ll be stronger because of me. You’ll both enjoy the fruits of this labor. She simply must suffer to achieve true power.”  
  
Damn bastard.  
  
“Archer!” Lancer shoved at Berserker, stumbling back only to find the man lowering his weapon.  
  
“Can we make her stop screaming?” Archer asked.  
  
His gaze flew to the man, finding the bow aimed towards him instead of Berserker.  
  
Lancer cursed, the sound ringing out a moment before he sensed something move in his peripheral vision. Something was slamming against the madman’s body, fists flying as power fluxuated and light struck. Rin had moved. Blood was on the floor as Lancer saw the berserker’s body flail. He had tumbled to the floor.  
  
The mana was flowing freely, altering the berserker as Rin attacked him. They rolled, the man’s body shrinking down. Further and further, until she was holding a little Berserker in hand.  
  
She stared at him, holding the struggling infant like creature by the tail.  
  
They all stared.


	15. Chapter 15

Servants were supposed to disappear.  
  
In the past, all servants who were drained of energy faded into nothingness.  
  
Then again, she had only a small amount of experience and they were all a little different. Holding the squirming, tailed child in her arms, Rin tried to think of what do to now. It was tempting to toss the child aside, curse him, but that felt wrong. She couldn’t even call him a child. He was more like a strange child/creature hybrid.  
  
“Here.” Archer’s voice was close, his hands pulling the child into his hands.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“Yeah, thanks, asshole.” Lancer moved forward, shoving at the man to get him out the door. “You were a great help. Couldn’t just shoot him, could you?”  
  
“He’s not a problem now, is he?” Archer pointed out, letting the child climb across his shoulders to growl at them. “I’m going to make him something to eat and check on Prototype and Caster. Try to help our master back into bed, Lancer.”  
  
Having Archer leave was fine in the end. He had been willing to let Berserker continue that torture. Just because it would help her gain power, he had been willing to let it continue. Her legs were aching again, more from the overdose of power than anything, but still…  
  
Lancer’s embrace was a welcomed one, letting her press her hands to his chest and focus some extra mana in his direction. She could feel him tense, accepting it because she needed it gone.  
  
Rin shut her eyes as she felt the mana return to normal levels. Her arms moved to his shoulders, holding him close as he stood in place.  
  
“Lancer.”  
  
“It feels so damn good, Rin.” He pressed his face to hers, letting out a soft moan. “So, so damn good. You can’t imagine.”  
  
“Pull yourself together.”  
  
His lips pressed to her neck, sucking lightly. “What the hell did you do to him, anyway?”  
  
“I don’t know. Nothing has been turning out right with you and your doppelgangers since I summoned you.” She shook her head. “I did get rid of a good ally though. Berserker was strong.”  
  
“He’s still around. Maybe it’s reversible, should he learn to behave.”  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
He tried to set her on the bed, but she clung to him, shaking her head.  
  
“Downstairs. I want to be downstairs.”  
  
Cu’s lips pressed against her forehead again. “Let me get you something to wear, I guess. I should probably check on Caster anyway.” He turned away, his arms shaking slightly as he opened the dresser and began to shuffle around the items  
  
She watched him move around quietly, accepting the clothing without comment and ignoring the fact that the clothing was something he and the others had picked for her before. She stood up slowly, testing her capability to walk only to find Cu pulling her onto his back. Her arms wrapped around his neck, lips going to his neck gently before she leaned her head to his.  
  
The man was loyal. Unerringly loyal.  
  
It made protection undoubtable. It made her concerns about danger lessen. She hadn’t missed the squabble between the servants before she had gone after Berserker. While Archer had lowered his weapon, Lancer had become more upset. He had begun to rage.  
  
They moved down to the living room, Rin attention drifting over to Prototype.  
  
“Glad to see you, little master.” The man grinned, loping over to their side and pulling her off Lancer. She was settled on the cushions nearby before Prototype plopped down next to her. “Wildness aside, are we still training tomorrow?”  
  
“Training?”  
  
“Things got a bit out of hand here and there.” Proto motioned around.  
  
“Isn’t it already late?”  
  
“It’s just a little into tomorrow, not enough to really count as a new day. You could probably rest a bit and begin training-“  
  
“I can barely walk again. I don’t think training-“  
  
Lancer crossed his arms, shrugging his shoulders. “We can work on hand positions and upper body work for now. Weights and training like that would be possible.”  
  
“What are we going to do about Berserker?”  
  
“What would you like us to do?”  
  
Rin shook her head, leaning back a little more. “We’ve done enough individual decision making. Whatever we do, I want to be sure we’re on the same page. Even if I don’t entirely like the decision, I think I have made enough decisions to know when it’s time to listen to the group.”  
  
Lancer shrugged, “We’ll see how the kid acts now. If Berserker’s a problem, Caster and Archer can take care of him.”  
  
“Oh-“ Proto winced, climbing to his feet. “Forgot about Caster.”  
  
“You forgot about him?” Rin looked between them both. “What happened to Caster?”  
  
“Ruined a perfectly good bowl. Fell right on his head. I was barely able to catch him,” Lancer replied.  
  
Proto mimed a bowl slamming down against his head, straightening as Lancer cast a look his way. The shit eating grin and immediate spinning around made it obvious that he had done something he hadn’t been supposed to do. “I’ll be in the kitchen,” Proto told them.  
  
“Get me a cup of-“  
  
“Get Rin something to eat and drink. Something hearty,” Lancer flopped himself unceremoniously next to her.  
  
“I’ll be fine with tea.”  
  
“You have barely eaten and you’ve gone through enough in the past few hours to scar most people for years. Food. Drink. And I’m thinking something distracting would be appropriate as well.” Lancer glanced around, finding what he was looking for after a minute of looking around.  
  
He clicked on the remote, bringing up the television a moment before Rin frowned.  
  
“I didn’t have a television down here.”  
  
“I know. Big mistake. What did you do normally around this place?”  
  
“Study.” Rin raised a brow at him. “Why do you need a tv here?”  
  
“Studying is boring,” those arms wrapped around her waist, yanking her close before he settled in. “You never get the urge to just do something mind numbing for a while?”  
  
“I know they didn’t have television when you were alive.”  
  
“I slept, fought, drank, and had sex. Now, you have television… unless you are thinking you have enough energy for one of my time’s activities.”  
  
“At least pick something interesting,” Rin told him, stealing the remote and flicking through the channels.  
  
“You pick something interesting,” Lancer demanded.  
  
“You decided on my clothes, I think I get the right to pick what we watch.”  
  
She stopped on a documentary, earning a groan before he clicked the channel surfing button. When he stopped on an action film, Rin rolled her eyes.  
  
“You’re both watching tv?”  
  
“We decided to not bother with reality for the time being,” Rin replied lightly, shrugging. “I’m tired of people trying to kill me.”  
  
“We’re watching tv?” Proto climbed onto the sofa, climbing across Lancer to rest his head on Rin’s lap. “Pick something action oriented.”  
  
“I’ll never go to bed if we pick something like that.”  
  
“Thank god. You always sleep.”  
  
“Where’s Berserker and Caster?”  
  
“They’re cleaning up the kitchen,” Archer settled on the other side of her, leaning back as Rin continued to flip channels. “Caster’s not in a particularly good mood, but most people don’t take being attacked with a bowl well.”  
  
“Had it comin’,” Lancer replied easily. “Me as a Caster is gross anyway.”  
  
“I happen to like Caster. He just got too close to Berserker.” She found another documentary, settling the remote on Archer’s end of the couch for safe keeping.  
  
And then they were settled in.  
  
Through a bizarre twist of fate, she had been trained, attacked, pumped up with mana, almost killed someone, and now settled on a couch like nothing happened. Her head landed against Lancer before the commercials came.


	16. Chapter 16

They rotated Rin onto their laps after the first few minutes.  
  
Proto climbed onto the other couch, complaining about space but happily accepting the squirming creature that was now Berserker from Caster. The two played with the beast as they all found something else on the television. While they had to turn it down, lest their master awaken to screaming and gore, it was at least more interesting.  
  
Archer’s hands stroked Rin’s hair as they watched the film. Innocent at first, something mindless that he couldn’t blame the guy for doing, but then-  
  
“What the hell are you up to?”  
  
“Rin’s hair is probably in her way.” Archer was about a third of the way through braiding as he glanced over at him. “This’ll at least let it be out of her face when she wakes up.”  
  
“Probably would be more useful when she is training with us,” Proto yawned.  
  
“Her hair’s fine down.”  
  
But the man just shrugged, continuing until her hair was tied behind her head in a bun.  
  
Lancer pressed a hand to Rin’s legs, watching the material come into fruition. Her clothing tore apart, the armor appearing in its place. Straps tightened around her legs and chest, covering up anything and yet-  
  
Archer huffed as the veil covered her head. Prototype whistled softly.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
“Was there any point in that?” Archer asked. “We’re trying not to wake her up.”  
  
“Hold on,” Prototype was off the couch in an instant, brushing out Rin’s hair a moment before he nodded. “I think she might beat our mentor in looking good in Dun Scathe armor.”  
  
“This is armor?”  
  
The two lancers just gave him a look before Lancer slipped carefully off the sofa to look from the kid’s angle. Rin’s soft face was pressed against Archer’s legs, her hair draped carefully around her pale face. With the gold shoulder plates and veil in place, the woman looked as sickly sweet as their mentor always had.  
  
“…You think she’d get mad if I asked her to fuck me like that?” Prototype murmured.  
  
“Shut up, Proto. I was trying to cover her up.”  
  
“This is covering?” Archer laughed quietly as he was given a nice glare.  
  
Proto squirmed. “Yeah, you gotta change it.”  
  
“To what? We don’t want to risk waking her up with changing her outfit.”  
  
“I don’t know, but you’ve gotta.”  
  
“I think she should stay that way,” Caster offered from his position.  
  
“You’re the one with the most mana to spare,” Archer motioned at Rin. “Change it back.”  
  
“I’m not some kind of-“  
  
They all paused as Rin rolled over, her face pressing against Archer’s stomach. The man paled, covering his mouth a moment before he looked at the others.  
  
“At least move her,” he hissed.  
  
“Oh sure, let’s just wake her up after she was tortured. That’ll be fine. She won’t panic to wake up in her room at all.”  
  
“Just curl up around her like the mutts you are.”  
  
“We’re not mutts!”  
  
“Lancer,” Rin shifted again, bringing them all to a panicked halt. Proto braced himself against the coffee table, prepared to run should she wake up. Caster was leaning back against the couch, tugging the blankets up a bit higher.  
  
Archer just paused, tensing in place as the woman curled up her legs and hummed in her sleep. The look of relief on his face as she rolled away from his crotch was obvious even from Caster’s distance. Rin didn’t settle in though. She reached out, those dark purple gloved hands finding Lancer’s face a moment before he was pulled to her chest.  
  
“Lucky bastard,” Proto hissed.  
  
“Why does Rin smell good?” Lancer breathed.  
  
“I went out and got the supplies she wanted. She likes her perfumes.” Archer replied quickly, keeping his voice low lest she awaken.  
  
She had a small chest, but he still found himself between two breasts. And trying to think around them only led him to 1) she was soft, 2) she smelled far too nice for her own good, and 3) he was no doubt sporting the same kind of issue that Archer was suffering.  
  
“This is your fault, Red,” Lancer complained.  
  
“I didn’t change her damn outfit.”  
  
“Don’t fuck with her hair!”  
  
Caster moved onto the floor, depositing Berserker into Prototype’s hands a moment before he snickered.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Hold on.” He nodded to himself a moment before reaching into his coat pockets, the sound of clinking bottles was the only way Lancer knew he was pulling things out.  
  
“What are you doing,” Archer demanded.  
  
“What’s he up to, Red?”  
  
“Hold on, Lancer.”  
  
“It’s just to help her sleep, shut up.”  
  
Silence came to the room for a few minutes as Caster worked. Lancer just began to count backwards, thinking of anything other than what was before him. Battles. Former enemies. Dangers in the area that could still be an issue.  
  
How much he hated Archer.  
  
“Caster, that isn’t helping.”  
  
“What did he do, Proto?” Archer asked.  
  
“Oh, that’s not helping at all. Caster, you gotta stop.”  
  
“What did he do?”  
  
Lancer eased back, making the woman shift in her sleep.  
  
“Did… Did you put face pigments on her?” Lancer stared at her face, biting his lip slightly.  
  
“She just looked real peaceful.” Caster stood up, “I’ll be upstairs with Berserker. I think it’s bed time.”  
  
He bolted, immediately.  
  
“I think he did something to those pigments,” Proto hissed.  
  
Rin’s eyes slowly blinked open, her body stretching in a manner that was far too sensual for any being to be.  
  
“Did I fall asleep?”  
  
The bleary eyes, flushed face, and soft expression was a lance to the soul. Lancer glanced over at Proto and found him climbing onto the couch, turning away and tossing the blanket over himself. A smart kid. It blocked the hard on better than anything.  
  
Archer had the convenience of being behind her, although one move on her part and he would have to explain himself.  
  
Lancer leaned in, opting for closeness to cover up what was going on.  
  
“You did,” he replied. “We were trying to decide whether to take you up to bed or not.”  
  
“I’ll sleep here,” she replied. Her face pressed against Archer’s legs a little more. Clearly she was still half asleep. “I’m too tired to get up.”  
  
His eyes rolling to the ceiling, Lancer could see the curses soundlessly leaving Archer’s lips. But Rin leaned forward a little more, making him pay attention.  
  
“Is everything still alright?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“No one has attacked, right?”  
  
He hadn’t felt compulsion like this since she took in her damn mana earlier. Even then, he hadn’t felt-  
  
Gods, he felt like one of those women who had always fallen at Diarmuid’s feet.  
  
“No one has done anything,” he confirmed, trying to hold himself together.  
  
“Good.” She smiled softly and he almost whined at the restrictiveness of his pants. Modern day people needed space, breathing room.  
  
Proto sighed nearby, his head banging against the couch.  
  
“Why don’t you go back to sleep, Rin?” Lancer brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. Those sultry, accentuated eyes met his for a moment before she nodded, pulling one of his hands to her face before she shut her eyes.  
  
No one moved.  
  
No one breathed.  
  
They waited, watching until her breathing evened out and she was at last in a deep sleep.  
  
Archer threw a pillow at the man on the other couch, growling at him. “You disgusting shit!”  
  
“You would have too!” Proto whined, “Not my fucking fault you lot dressed her up like our mentor and dolled her up ‘til she was all doe-y eyed and sexual! I had to!”  
  
Lancer cast the boy a look before nodding towards the stairs.  
  
“Fine, but what are you two gonna do about Rin? She can’t just sleep on your lap on night.”  
  
“We’ll move her,” Archer told him.  
  
But neither of them dared move, even after Prototype was gone. They both just sat there, Lancer’s hand under Rin’s cheek and Archer’s body under Rin’s upper body. The sunlight began to eventually stream in, the television still going off behind him as Lancer watched Rin enjoy some rest.  
  
“Caster cursed her, didn’t he?”  
  
“Just an infatuation thing. I’m sure it’ll wear off.”  
  
He wasn’t fucking sure at all.  
  
Archer nodded.  
  
They remained in place still, listening to birds begin to chirp outside and the sound of cars in the distance driving passed the house. They both just waited, waited for the allure to end.  
  
The woman began to stir again and Archer bit his lip.  
  
“I’m going for it.”  
  
“Wha-“  
  
He moved. Quick. Effectively. Rin’s body was entirely on his lap before the archer was heading towards the upstairs. He didn’t say anything more. He didn’t show any signs of stopping.  
  
Rin yawned, opening her eyes again as Lancer tried to fix the awkwardness of her landing. Those blue eyes looked up at him and once again Lancer found himself trapped.  
  
She pulled away, wiping at her eyes slightly before frowning.  
  
“What is this?”  
  
She looked down, frowning at the outfit and Lancer groped for any kind of answer.  
  
“Armor.”  
  
“This is armor?”  
  
Technically-  
  
“I was talking to Archer and Prototype and we agreed that you should have your own armor. This was the only kind of armor that we remembered seeing a woman fight in.” He avoided those eyes. Seeing her face was where Caster’s magic took over. Deadly stuff, it was.  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“It was my mentor’s, to be honest. We wanted to see what you thought but you fell asleep.”  
  
Rin sat up more, sitting upright on the couch before she lifted a foot up. Her foot landed on top of the coffee table, trapping him as the other went up.  
  
The gods had put him before a bounty and cursed him to behave.  
  
Rin hummed, turning her arms and looking at the attire carefully. Another sound escaped her lips as she continued to ponder it. “It’s a bit… provocative, don’t you think?”  
  
“It’s an outfit.” He shrugged, standing up carefully and heading towards the kitchen. Somewhere in the house, the phone began to ring, bringing Rin to her feet as well.  
  
“I’ll get the phone. Can you make me a-“  
  
“Tea, right.” Lancer waved her off, moving into the kitchen.  
  
The floor still had specks of bowl on it. The sink was still slightly stained from the concoction that Caster had been trying to create and feed Rin. Lancer started the facet, splashing his face a little.  
  
“Shirou!”  
  
Lancer was at the doorway in an instant, seeing the others doing the same. Berserker crawled to the bottom of the staircase as they hovered nearby, listening.  
  
“I’m so glad to hear from you.” Rin tugged at one of her gloves, listening to him speak. “Yes, I agree. We need to talk. Before that, I need to ask you and hear you tell me: Did you start the fire in my house?”  
  
They all waited, seeing Rin nodding.  
  
“I told them that you wouldn’t dare. I owe you an apology for them attacking you. Is Saber doing better? I saw she was wounded…” Rin waved a hand, “It’s fine. She didn’t do much damage that I didn’t cause myself by running over there. Since we’re on the same page, I want to ask your help in finding whoever did cause the fire.”  
  
More listening. Lancer looked over at Archer, noting a small smile on his face for a moment before he moved down the stairs, heading around him to go into the kitchen to begin cooking.  
  
“We found remnants of mana around the kid’s house,” Lancer pointed out. “The path led straight to his door from Rin’s home.”  
  
“He says he didn’t do it and Rin believes him,” the man replied easily.  
  
“Rin wants a cup of tea. Make yourself useful.”  
  
Rin was still going. Only helping lift up the archer’s mood as he wandered into the kitchen; “I know. Archer found me. Bring Saber to the house and I’ll have Caster help heal her. He managed to heal my burns and I was wounded far worse than Saber is. We can discuss strategy and plan together… Plus…” She squirmed slightly. “I have missed a good amount of coursework for class. I can call the Mage Association to assist with getting me excused, but I would hate to fall behind.”  
  
The woman listened for another minute before nodding.  
  
“Alright. I’ll see you in a little bit.”  
  
“Rin,” Prototype leaned over the railing. “You’re inviting them here?”  
  
“Yes, I am.” Rin grinned. “He didn’t do it. He said that they were looking for me around the house when they didn’t see me after a few days. So any scents from them or anything like that could be attributed to that.”  
  
“We didn’t sniff him,” Lancer leaned against the kitchen doorway a little more. “Berserker and I sensed mana leading from your home to his. The kind from someone doing magic.”  
  
“We can talk about it at another point. I’m sure there’s an explanation for that.” Rin turned her gaze to Caster, ignoring the small Berserker at her ankles. “Caster! I’ll need you to help heal Saber and Shirou when they come by. Shirou is incapable of recovering much mana and-“  
  
“I know.” Caster grinned. “A little Celtic magic going on there. I blocked half his mana circuits. I imagine he’s been lethargic for days, borderline able to even keep that pretty little servant of his. He’s like a battery with almost no power.”  
  
“Caster!” Rin’s gaze narrowed, “You’re fixing him. You’re fixing them both!”  
  
“Fine, fine.” He waved her off with one hand dismissively. “But only if you call me Cu Chulainn.”  
  
“What is with you all and being called that. You’re Caster. If you aren’t going to help me, then I’m going to just use a command spell to command you…” Rin paused before looking down at Berserker. “Speaking of which: Berserker, I command you with a command spell to not kill anyone unless I am in danger or I say otherwise.”  
  
The flash of light happened an instant before Berserker chortled. His little body booked it for the kitchen, earning a groan from the Archer in the room.  
  
“You’re a demanding little shit,” Archer stated from the other room, “come here. At least sit nearby for a minute while I finish cooking.”  
  
“You know Berserker wasn’t actually trying to kill you.” Caster moved down the stairs, following after him at a more sedate pace. “He was trying to increase your power despite the ramifications it would have on your immediate pain tolerance. In the end, you would have ended up with a great deal more mana than you have right now.”  
  
“I’m just keeping him in check. I’d rather not have him kill Archer or Lancer.”  
  
“It was a waste of a command spell.” The man shook his head, walking into the kitchen only to catch Berserker in his hands. “I see you’re causing trouble again, Berserker. What am I to do with you?”  
  
Rin glanced over at Lancer again, motioning towards where the other had gone. “You don’t think I wasted the spell, do you?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“The command spell.”  
  
“No, no.” The man moved forward, patting her head. “I’ll be upstairs checking on Prototype. Don’t let the kid in with Saber until we get back downstairs. I’d rather be prepared in case things don’t go the way they’re supposed to go.”  
  
“Hold on.”  
  
She held onto his hand, stopping him just as he could have safely gotten away. Once again, he had to look at her, enjoying the full force of what Caster had managed to do. What’s more, he could still feel the lingering effects of having her mana pushed into him, powering him up to a level of capabilities that made the world limitless.  
  
The woman was better than fighting.  
  
“What’s with that look?”  
  
“What look?”  
  
“That one,” Rin motioned at her own face, moving closer. Her arms wrapped around his waist lightly. “You’ve got this look on your face and I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean. What are you thinking about?”  
  
“I was just thinking…” He paused, pulling her closer and brushing her hair back from her face a little more. “If Shirou wasn’t responsible, then we need to be prepared for someone else. It could be someone watching the house or someone who is allowed to wander the city without being noticed.”  
  
“True…” Rin nodded, her expression changing once more as she thought carefully about things. “We can plan accordingly. With Berserker down, that means we’ll need to be more careful. I know Caster put a barrier of sorts in place, but we’ll need that removed so Shirou and Saber can come inside.”  
  
“I’ll get him started on that.”  
  
He didn’t move.  
  
“Lancer,” Rin looked up at him. “Is there something else on your mind?”  
  
Telling her that he was addicted to touching her and having her mana was about as safe as insulting her. He shrugged lightly, “Just waking up still. I didn’t get a great deal of sleep last night.”  
  
“Right.” Rin nodded, pulling away. “Set Caster to work and maybe we can take a nap. I didn’t sleep great on the couch for some reason. I could use a little more rest.”  
  
“Do you think it’ll take time for Shirou and Saber to get here?”  
  
“I don’t know, but even ten minutes is more than I’ll have otherwise.” She was too tempting. He leaned over, pulling her in by the small of her back again. The soft, sweet thing that she was melted in his embrace again before pulling back, laughing a little to try to cover up the deep blush on her face. “Ah- I am going upstairs! Be sure to tell Caster to take down the barrier around the house. Prototype should probably do rounds while things are happening. Archer too.”  
  
She turned tail, heading up the stairs in a blur of purple.  
  
Taking a minute, Lancer enjoyed the lingering sensation from having the woman close. Prototype descended the rest of the stairs, snickering at him a bit.  
  
“You know we have to get Caster to let up some of that pull that she gives, right?”  
  
“We do.”  
  
“It’s really funny that she didn’t notice it though. You looked about five seconds from ripping Mentor’s clothing off her and eating her out.”  
  
“You heard our master,” Lancer motioned towards the door. “Watch the perimeter and let me know when those two are getting near.”  
  
“Sir, yes sir.” Proto turned tail, pulling his weapon to hand as he slipped out the front door.  
  
As he did that, Lancer turned, heading into the kitchen where Caster and Berserker were eating.  
  
“How’s our Master?” Caster asked.  
  
“Enjoying a few minutes longer of ignorance to the fact that you cursed her. That needs fixed after you finish removing the barrier around the house.”  
  
Caster shrugged, “I’ll wear down a little, but it’ll come in useful.”  
  
“Having people staring after her, drooling like you all do is helpful?” Archer shook his head at the idea, drying dishes on the other side of the counter.  
  
Lancer shook his head. “It’s just distracting.”  
  
“You both are thinking in short term, your terrain kind of view. As long as he’s here, sure. She’s in no danger from us.” The man let Berserker slip into the hood of his coat, lifting a piece of bacon to the little guy as he continued. “But we have to think carefully about when she leaves here. She will. It’s inevitable. Had she been in the state she is now when she had ran off last time, she wouldn’t have been attacked. At least, not for long. The pull would have had someone with her. It would have called Saber’s master out since he was nearby.”  
  
“Fine, take down the barrier at least.”  
  
“I know. I know.” Caster stood up, pushing the plate forward and grinning to Archer. “Thank you for the food again, Red.”  
  
“Let me know if you or Berserker need anything.”  
  
“Will do. Berserker’s much tamer this way. Just wants to curl up most the time and stab at things.”  
  
As he left, Lancer slumped into a seat, glancing over at the archer.  
  
“How long do you think I have until Rin figures out she’s been cursed?”  
  
“An hour, probably less.”  
  
“Think we should tell her now and spare ourselves the trouble later?”  
  
Archer winced. “I like my position in this alliance. You can tell her if you feel like it.”  
  
“Then we’re in agreement, we’ll have Caster fix the problem when Rin takes another nap.”  
  
The man nodded.


	17. Chapter 17

She had to call Prototype in through the window after trying to remove the armor herself a handful of times. The straps and shoulder plates were in place far too well. Tight, but not so much that she was losing blood circulation.  
  
The deep color probably made stealth more effective.  
  
What’s more, there were a few places where her gems could be placed.  
  
The more she debated it, the more sensible the armor seemed. Fighters would aim for the gold plates, distracted by them and giving her an extra moment to counter.  
  
Proto snickered as he slipped into the room, motioning her to turn.  
  
“Can’t escape?”  
  
“It’s like a second skin.”  
  
“It’s supposed to be.” The man worked slowly, the straps popping off at his efforts. She felt the top half loosen immediately. “Besides, Lancer just materialized it onto you. It wouldn’t make sense for materializing armor that wouldn’t fit.”  
  
“I thought that only worked for yourself.”  
  
“It requires mana, but we could do a fair amount with ensuring we’re clothed.”  
  
Rin nodded, thinking as the man pulled the veil off and set it on the dresser. Taking in the simple hoodie and jeans he was wearing, she hummed.  
  
“Could I manage it?”  
  
“Probably.”  
  
“Teach me.”  
  
He just stared at her, biting his lip a moment before shaking his head. His arms released her as the last of the armor loosened enough that she could shrug out of the shoulder plates and layer of clothing.  
  
“First of all, you have to know what you want.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
“Focus on it, will it to yourself.”  
  
“Will it to myself?”  
  
“Imagine you already have it.”  
  
They stood around for a few minutes before Proto shook his head. “Let Caster help you with that. I don’t know how to explain it.”  
  
“There isn’t anything else to it than that?”  
  
“I don’t know. It was more of a post-servant talent that I acquired.”  
  
“That’s alright. Thank you for the help.”  
  
Proto nodded, turning slightly before he looked over at her. “You know Caster messed with you, right?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“He ah- made your natural allure more notable.”  
  
“What is that supposed to mean? Like sex appeal?”  
  
“Something like that.” Proto just beamed. “You even sent Archer running to jerk off this morning. If you wanna see them all show their true colors, I’d recommend using that to your advantage. Might come in useful with the kid coming later too, but I figured I’d make sure you knew.”  
  
“And why’s that?”  
  
“Just so you understand when I ask not to be asked to help you in and out of clothes too often. It’s damned hard not to repeat our lovely experience from before.”  
  
Slipping out the window, Proto vanished once again, leaving Rin to bite her lip. It was tempting to make them all have a command spell that forbid them from altering her physically or mentally, but if she needed to learn something, the spell could prevent that. Clearly, sleeping anywhere near them was becoming something of a challenge.  
  
Then again, she wasn’t sure if it had been done before or after Berserker’s handiwork. She couldn’t blame Lancer and Archer or even Proto for what had happened.  
  
There was too much at once. She needed to just take a minute. Breathe. Think.  
  
The sound of movement and voices outside was the only sign she had been thinking for too long. The front door could be heard through the open bedroom door a moment before the voices carried to her room.  
  
“Where’s Rin?”  
  
“Resting. She wanted to get a nap in.”  
  
“She’s not a morning person,” Emiya agreed, earning a scowl from her.  
  
She grabbed one of her skirts, slipping it on a moment before she found a shirt and headed towards the stairs. She took the stairs two at a time. Her eyes drifted along the view she could see of the main floor before she saw his bright hair.  
  
“Shirou!”  
  
“Rin-“ The boy turned, his face darkening a little as he took in the sight of her.  
  
“I-is something wrong?”  
  
“It’s nothing.” He turned away, earning a frown from Saber as he coughed. “Just- you seem a bit tired.”  
  
Proto winked from the doorway, no doubt wanting to remind her about what they had discussed before.  
  
Rin finished buttoning up the shirt, descending the last few steps. “I’m fine. If you’re ready to talk, we have a lot to go over.” She glanced over at Caster. “Caster, why don’t you take Saber to the kitchen and start healing the wounds she has. Shirou and I will be taking in here.”  
  
“How many servants do you have?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
Shirou crossed his arms. “You disappeared. Your house burned down. Then it’s back in the same condition it was in before on the inside and you have a handful of servants that all look like Lancer. Your servants attack us and then you call us here to help heal us.” He scowled, his expression looking far too much like Archer’s. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, Rin.”  
  
“Someone burned down my house. I don’t know what happened during or shortly after that since I was being healed by Caster. I summoned the servants when the house was burning. The attack happened while I was still healing so I don’t know much about that either, but since you said you didn’t start the fire, I believe you.”  
  
“But-“  
  
“It’s called trusting someone.” Rin moved to sit down on one of the couches, earning a snicker from Proto before he opened the front door and headed outside. Archer moved to the chaise nearby, closing his eyes as he listened to Shirou splutter.  
  
“I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but this many servants is impossible to control.”  
  
“There have been growing pains,” Rin relented.  
  
Shirou moved to sit down, no doubt because his body was trembling slightly.  
  
“Does it hurt to move?”  
  
He nodded. “I don’t know why it’s been so difficult, but I haven’t been well enough to even go to school. I’ve been resting a lot and spending time with Saber.”  
  
“I haven’t been able to attend school either. Being burned ruins the opportunity.”  
  
“Do you have any idea who could have caused the fire?”  
  
“You left my house a couple hours before the fire. Do you remember seeing anyone?”  
  
“No. I went home and Sakura came over that evening. She and I talked for a while and then she went home. She was in a quiet mood that night so I called her house to check on her once I figured she was home.”  
  
“We’ll have to think about who it could be then.”  
  
Glancing towards the kitchen, Rin waited, listening. The sounds of low voices and the clinking of kitchen items were the only signs that someone was in there.  
  
“How many servants do you have now, Rin?”  
  
“Five.” Archer glanced their way. “Rin has five servants, Emiya Shirou. Although Berserker is now tamed down, he still is capable of killing in his own way.”  
  
“How do you share mana with five?!”  
  
“It’s nothing worth mentioning.” Brushing her hair back, Rin glanced over at him, frowning at the way he was staring now. “What?”  
  
“Nothing. Just- Five is a lot of servants. Handling one servant is difficult enough. For you to have five-“  
  
“I was training in magecraft from birth. It’s only natural that I would be able to handle multiple servants with ease.”  
  
“Given that four of them are the same person, I think it’s more appropriate to say she handles two servants, but one with multiple personality issues,” Archer pointed out.  
  
“Archer, where’s Lancer?”  
  
“He’s watching the perimeter.”  
  
“I thought Prototype was doing that.”  
  
“They are both watching.” The man leaned back, grinning slightly. “That’s what guard dogs do.”  
  
“I see you haven’t changed at all.” Shirou glared over at him. “I figured you would have at least contacted me once you reached Rin.”  
  
“You aren’t my master. Until Rin believed you, you were suspected of trying to kill her.”  
  
“I remember you saying that, but why would I kill Rin? Rin helped us destroy the grail. She shared her mana with me so that I could use a noble phantasm. I have no reason for attacking Rin.”  
  
“You didn’t mention the burning or Rin being missing or anything that could make someone nearby think that you may have attacked her?”  
  
The boy winced. “Saber and I sent out weak tracers and searched the city a few times.”  
  
“Well, it’s lucky that some of us don’t jump to conclusions based on what we hear.”  
  
“That’s why you were mumbling in your sleep that Saber seemed like she had started the fire, right?” Caster leaned against the far wall, letting Saber walk through. “We’re finished. If the kid wants to come on in next, I have enough leftover supplies to help him recover as well. I do need to remove some of the ties that are blocking his mana circuits as well.”  
  
“Just do it here,” Shirou replied. “I don’t really have enough energy to walk again.”  
  
The man snickered, walking back into the kitchen with his hood moving slightly behind him. A tail flicked out, making Saber hurry away from the doorway to settle by Shirou.  
  
“I don’t know that I entirely trust Caster.”  
  
“He has his uses,” Rin replied. “Now then, since we’re on the same page-“  
  
“Are we?” Saber motioned around. “You have a handful of servants and no other masters around. There’s no way you could be handling them all and being capable of much.”  
  
“As Archer pointed out, I have one servant in several different forms. Lancer doesn’t take much mana either. It’s not difficult to keep mana going for Lancer and his doppelgangers. Adding Archer wasn’t difficult either.”  
  
“I have no contract with you either,” he added.  
  
“True. So that makes things-“  
  
“You have no contract?” Saber frowned. “How are you functioning better than you were with Shirou then?”  
  
“Rin supplies me mana.” Archer pulled his necklace out, showing them. “The doppelgangers also have them, just in case. It allows us to travel and do as we will without needing to keep close to our master.”  
  
Shirou was still looking at her though, nodding. “You always were better at mana concentration than I was.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“So what do you plan to do?”  
  
“I am planning on doing something I was talking to Archer about the other day. We’ll begin a search through the city. Someone somewhere knows something and we need to find out who and what. That means we’ll have to take extra care. As long as we’re allies, I want to keep in touch and coordinate before one of us gets attacked again.”  
  
“That’s reasonable.”  
  
“What do you plan to do once you find the culprit?” Saber crossed her arms. “Are you going to just keep all your servants?”  
  
The question was surprising. The urge to just say no was there, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to send them back just to fight in another war. Certainly not Lancer, at least.  
  
Rin blinked, staring at her hands as the thought entered her head.  
  
He wasn’t a lost puppy that had wandered into her home. He was a person. He had his own interests and thoughts. Keeping him would be as inappropriate as releasing him back to the grail’s hands. She wasn’t going to push him or any of the others to stay.  
  
Archer had helped her learn that when he had disappeared before. She wouldn’t beg another to make a contract or extend a contract just for her to boss them around.  
  
“Rin?”  
  
“I will decide when I get to that point,” she told the woman, slowly. “For now, we have work to do. I didn’t want you both to be suffering when it was lancer and the others’ fault that you were in pain.”  
  
“They heard us talking about you being hurt. Considering how much effort was put in to cover that fact up, I’m not too surprised,” Shirou replied.  
  
Caster returned, motioning him to take his shirt off before he began working. The boy winced, his hand being held after a moment by Saber before she and Archer began to talk. Little things, the weather, the situation thus far, Archer’s thoughts about things; Rin leaned back and listened, ignoring the looks thrown her way by Shirou.  
  
After a few minutes, Berserker popped out of Caster’s hood, hurrying over to climb onto her lap. His body curled up a moment before he shut his eyes.  
  
“That’s the one that attacked me.”  
  
Rin looked over at Saber and nodded. “He lost control so we had to rein him in.”  
  
“What did you all do?”  
  
“It’s nothing to worry about. Just know he won’t be attacking anyone right now.” Rin stroked his head lightly, watching those eyes look up at her a moment before he nuzzled in a little more.  
  
Saber sighed, standing up only to come and take a closer look at him. “He’s cute like this. You would never connect him to the man that attacked me. I only recognize him because of the markings.”  
  
Rin nodded, bopping his head as he took a snap at Saber’s direction.  
  
“I wouldn’t recommend petting him.” Caster warned, looking over at them. “He tolerates Rin and Archer, but he nearly took Prototype’s hand off earlier.”  
  
“That feels better,” Shirou murmured.  
  
“Should. I’m opening back up all your mana and letting your circulation improve.”  
  
“We should get back soon.” Saber stood up. “We have Sakura coming over this evening and she has seemed upset lately.”  
  
Archer frowned.  
  
“Alright.” Rin smiled lightly. “Please be sure to give her my regards when you see her. It’s been a while since she and I have spoken.”  
  
“We will.” Shirou stood up, his expression a complete one eighty as he tested his feet and nodded. “It feels good to be back in control of myself. I feel like I have more energy again.”  
  
She could relate on that one. Without a doubt, Rin was intent on learning how Caster managed to do what he did. So far, he had managed to heal them and improve their abilities both in the household and with Saber and Shirou to a point that was unheard of for mages. One of these days, she needed an afternoon to pick apart what he knew and learn herself.  
  
Caster stood up, nodding. His staff appeared and he let out a whistle only for Berserker to wake up and sprint his way. The little one climbed atop the staff, growling lightly before he waited.  
  
“I have to head into the city. If you all need me, I’ll be back in a few hours.”  
  
“Thanks again, Caster.”  
  
The man inclined his head, heading for the door with Berserker in tow.  
  
“Caster, you can’t take him to the hospital.” Archer stood up, sprinting after the man as he fully intended to wander out.  
  
“We’ll leave as well.” Saber told her, moving to wrap an arm around Shirou. The display brought a blush to both their faces, but Saber held her ground.  
  
“Alright… I want us to remain friends as well as allies.”  
  
“We will.” Shirou moved forward, his arms wrapping around her for a moment. Having him become touchy was-  
  
Rin coughed, pulling away and nodding. “Yes, well… Be sure to keep in contact. I’ll probably send Archer around to check in from time to time if I don’t hear from you.”  
  
“Let’s work on catching up on schoolwork when we see each other next.”  
  
“Come on Shirou.”  
  
They left, with Saber pushing him along quicker than she would have expected. Her behavior was surprising still, but Rin let it go. She had to. Saber had helped them far too much for her to ruin a friendship over nothing.  
  
“You alright, Rin?”  
  
She sensed him like the weight of gravity, feeling his arms wrapping around his waist. His hair drifted over her shoulder. His chin resting just on her head as she sighed.  
  
“Whatever Caster did, it is bothering Saber.”  
  
“Normally bothers the opposite sex a lot.” Lancer replied easily, rubbing her arms. “I had to fight a warrior in my time that had that happen to him. Women laid themselves at his feet.”  
  
“Did they get it reversed?”  
  
He hummed, pulling her a bit closer.  
  
“Lancer, that’s not an answer.”  
  
“It’ll be fine. If nothing else, you’ll just need to be sure to keep your intentions clear. Saber is about honor or somethin’. She’ll be fine.”  
  
“You’re not comforting.” Rin glanced up at him, finding him shrugging.  
  
“If you want comfort, go find Prototype. Meanwhile, Archer’s run off after Caster and the kitchen is unguarded.”  
  
“And?”  
  
“And- we’re hungry.” Prototype walked in, answering for the other man as he hoisted her up and headed towards the kitchen area. “You would not believe how closely the man’s been guarding this room. He doesn’t let us near the stove or fridge and he threw out half the fish.”  
  
Probably because Archer wasn’t a fish person and she had quickly become tired of it.  
  
“And just what are you guys wanting from the kitchen that badly?”  
  
“Found it!” Lancer pulled down the container, grinning. “Proto. Find the booze.”  
  
“Already on it.”  
  
Rin found herself deposited on the countertop a moment before the other was hunting through cabinets below.  
  
“You plan to raid the cabinets?”  
  
Proto bounced to her side, handing her the cans before pushing her towards the doorway. “This is a perfect opportunity to do nothing. Anything you want to do. Sex in the living room, drinking, experimenting.”  
  
“I don’t want to do any of those things right now. Right now we should be thinking of-“  
  
“Found it!” Lancer held up the box from the back of one of the cupboards, beaming proudly. “The last item we need. Let’s go. We can head upstairs to the study.”  
  
“Right!”  
  
“Grab Rin. I’ll carry our stolen goods.”  
  
“Hold on-“  
  
But her body was once more tossed over Prototype’s shoulder. She huffed, watching them sprinting up the stairs and wandering down the hallway with her and their snacks in tow. Each movement was carefully coordinated, on the lookout for any signs of Caster or Archer, according to the two.  
  
They were enjoying themselves. That was all.  
  
The two were snickering far too much, slipping into the bedroom to steal a handful of pillows after depositing their first load in the study. All the while, Rin remained firmly in place on Proto’s shoulder, watching them and holding pillows when she argued. After three trips, the study was littered with cushions and pillows and Rin found herself plopped in the midst of them all.  
  
The two men pulled their shirts off, hair coming loose in Lancer’s case. A couple of cans cracked open before Rin found a can in her hands.  
  
“Wait-“ Lancer pulled it away and glanced over at Proto. “We forgot the wine for Rin.”  
  
“I don’t need alcohol.”  
  
“I’m on it.” Prototype sprinted out, his hair trailing behind him as he went.  
  
“I don’t need alcohol,” Rin repeated. “This is a waste of time. We should be strategizing.”  
  
“Alright. Let’s strategize.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
They stared at one another, Rin crossing her arms as the man waited.  
  
“We should start with a thorough search of the city. We can start on the outskirts tomorrow and work our way in. Caster, Berserker, and Prototype can look from the temple to the port while Archer, you, and I begin at the church and work our way to the port.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
“No complaints?”  
  
“Sounds reasonable.”  
  
“Good.” Rin nodded.  
  
“…And now we’re done strategizing?”  
  
She could only shake her head at the man, hearing Prototype returning a moment before the man sprung into the pile. His body turned in the air, landing next to her with the wine glass and bottles in hand. Bottles, as though two would be far better than one.  
  
“You know I’m not drinking,” Rin confirmed, “right?”  
  
“A glass. We made allies, have you healed, and-“ he held up the glass, pouring one of the bottles into it with a connoisseur’s expertise, “you should have some fun for once. From what all I’ve seen, you don’t have many guests on a normal basis and you study too much.”  
  
“I have hardly studied!”  
  
“Troublesome, right, Lancer?”  
  
Lancer shrugged. “Don’t make a boy cry, especially myself, Rin. One glass won’t hurt. You’ve got us at your disposal, so long as we can enjoy some mindless entertainment at the same time.”  
  
“Fine.” Rin crossed her arms. “I’ll have one glass, but I am fixing both of your hair.”  
  
Prototype handed her the glass, laying on her lap without hesitation. While she sipped, he shook out his hair and looked over at Lancer.  
  
“You wanna grab Rin shit for this?”  
  
“I can probably find a couple things.” His fingers tilted the wine glass a little more. “Try the chocolate with it, Rin. We stole enough to last for days.”  
  
Sipping lightly, Rin began to comb out Prototype’s hair until Lancer returned. Her toiletries kit was opened at that point, her fingers switched out for a proper brush.  
  
While she worked, Lancer flipped on yet another television she hadn’t needed in her home. He lay at her side, drinking and teasing Prototype during commercials while Prototype stole one of the small bottles of nail polish and her feet.  
  
“You know that’s pointless, right?”  
  
“It’s a woman thing,” Prototype replied easily, his work careful and precise as she brushed his hair out. “You’re just pissy because Scathach made you do this all the time.”  
  
“All the damn time, but more rune stuff and while she was naked.” Lancer shook his head. “I’d rather not do that again, if it’s all the same.”  
  
“Just extra attention I can give our master. You enjoy getting drunk.”  
  
Every time they began the fight again or began to tease one another, Rin took another long sip of the wine. It didn’t feel strong. It just felt warm when she drank it. The tension seemed to dissipate the more she enjoyed the liquor.  
  
When the glass emptied, Lancer leaned back, pouring another glass for her. His first can of beer was gone after a while, as were her feet as Prototype closed the bottle and replaced it back in her toiletries.  
  
“Alright. Come here, Lancer.”  
  
Prototype rolled away, letting Lancer move closer. Rather than lying down, the man just ran his hands through his hair, shaking it out and sitting upright. Then again, she was glad he did. He was too tall. His hair was longer than Prototype’s by a longshot. Her fingers moved lightly through his hair a moment before she paused.  
  
It was softer than before.  
  
“I took a shower earlier, while Shirou and them were here.” Lancer explained, feeling her pause. “It might still be damp.”  
  
“It’s fine.”  
  
Very fine.  
  
She moved her fingers through the tendrils of hair again before glancing towards Prototype. Seeing him looking away, Rin pressed her face against his hair.  
  
The man paused, his head tilting.  
  
“You alright there, Rin?”  
  
“You’ve been using my soaps.”  
  
“There’s not a lot of options in the shower right now.”  
  
She pressed a little closer, watching the man grin enough for his fangs to show. He took another swig of his drink before pulling her around onto his lap.  
  
“I see. You’ve had enough, haven’t you?”  
  
“Wh-what do you mean?” Rin reached for her drink, but it was held away from her, sipped at by the teasing man before his lips pressed to hers. Wine, Lancer, and more of that bubbly feeling reached her as he kissed her.  
  
“It’s fine.” Lancer pushed her back lightly, watching her pause to swallow what wine he had kissed into her mouth. “I don’t mind a bit of intoxicated fun.”  
  
“Finally,” Prototype clicked off the television. “I’m calling her chest.”  
  
“You can have whatever I’m not busy with,” Lancer replied, his lips finding hers again before Rin could argue. Her body was sandwiched soon enough, breath gone as the two teased mercilessly. She didn’t dare touch. Didn’t dare move to be honest. Her eyes drifted up to Lancer’s only for Prototype to pause.  
  
“Oi.”  
  
“Hmm?” Lancer moved his face down lower, lips pressing to her chest. Somehow her shirt had disappeared in the last minute or so.  
  
“I wanna try something.”  
  
“Deal first,” Rin gasped, her hands holding Lancer back by the hair. “Deal first!”  
  
The two devils looked at one another before laying on her, waiting.  
  
“I want… For every action you do, I want to be able to do something myself.”  
  
“Deal.”  
  
“AND!” She interrupted them before they could begin, holding them both back at this point, “And I want to know what you are both thinking and feeling.”  
  
The two men just stared at her, sitting up.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“Yeah… What are you looking for, Rin? What we feel when we touch you? I think that might embarrass you more than you already get whenever we do this.” Prototype argued.  
  
“Why do you want to do that to me?” Rin turned, proud of herself as she returned to sipping her wine glass. “If you can’t tell me that, then I don’t want to bother at all. And don’t say you just feel like it. Nothing is that simple.”  
  
“Thinks she’s so smart.” Lancer moved in closer, his lips moving along her back. “You want feelings and thoughts then fine. I like the feel of your body against mine. I like the way your nose scrunches up slightly when I find a weak point and the way your nose and cheeks hold that red colors that matches the space between your legs. I really love-“  
  
“Damn you,” Rin covered her face, hearing the other snicker as well.  
  
“Hold on,” Proto opened the candy container nearby and held up a piece of chocolate. “Try a piece before we go any further.”  
  
She raised a brow at him, earning a sigh from his older counterpart.  
  
“That’s not how this is done, Proto.” Lancer pushed him, taking the food before Rin could eat it from his hands. “You gotta put it in your mouth first and then offer it.”  
  
“Or I could feed it to her.”  
  
Rin laid back against the pillows, watching them a moment before she yanked Lancer in and kissed him. Proto’s hands moved to her waist, pulling her onto his lap as she held onto the other. Lancer’s arms went behind Proto’s head, his mouth moving to her neck as Proto murmured into her ear.  
  
The more their hands moved, mouths finding all those little places she wasn’t aware of being sensitive in, the more Rin found herself losing her mind. A part of her warned that she should be pulling away, but what for? Their bodies fit against hers, faces as flushed as hers felt. Each time she met those red eyes, there was a knowing, smug look in their eyes.  
  
So she kissed back, returned all the touches. Her body ended up atop Lancer’s, her body impaling upon his before Prototype was stealing her mouth. She could hear the moaning in surround sound, her name from both directions. As she held onto his chest, she felt him setting a pace. Each movement had her crying out, his true name escaping her lips.  
  
But as he came, she was pulled off, pushed up against the man before her legs were spread and Prototype pushed himself into her. Lancer’s lips stole hers, stealing the scream that would have ripped from her.  
  
Prototype didn’t have the stamina that Lancer did. He came violently and quickly before Lancer pushed her against the pillows and glanced at Prototype.  
  
“You take the right, I’ve got the left.”  
  
Prototype nodded, his eyes rolling shut as he continued to cum. It took him a moment, a moment that Lancer took the opportunity to utilize. His mouth pressed to one of her breasts while his other hand kneaded the other.  
  
They descended like wolves on a feast, licking and biting. Feeding her bits and pieces of chocolate or sips of wine before they were back to fucking. Prototype’s mouth pressed to the space between her legs, feasting on her a moment before Rin grabbed Lancer blindly. She pressed her mouth to his cock, slowly taking it into her mouth.  
  
“Rin… Gods, Rin.” Lancer’s fingers combed through her hair, his head falling back as she looked up at him. “Father help me…”  
  
“You gotta take it slow,” Proto murmured in her ear, leaning over her body as he shoved into her. “Relax your throat. Focus on moving your mouth around him more.”  
  
“Gods, Proto, don’t- Fuck, Rin.”  
  
A warmth flooded her mouth, salty as Rin took it all in. Another flooding came inside her, accompanied by Proto’s long stream of curses. As she pulled her mouth back, Lancer yanked her to his chest, sealing their lips again before holding her close.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“I gotta breathe. I don’t even think our master can even talk anymore, Proto.”  
  
“She’s fine,” the man purred. His hands slinking around her waist. “Aren’t we, Rin? That was pretty great, wasn’t it?”  
  
Rin tried to think. Words. Sentences. Thoughts. Her mouth just pressed to Lancer’s neck. His chin. Anywhere she could reach, she pressed her lips to.  
  
“So affectionate,” Lancer breathed. That flushed face pressed, forehead to forehead, with hers. He just clicked his tongue at her. “See, this is how it’s always been for me. Fight enemies, have sex with a beautiful woman, train: the simple things.”  
  
Rin closed her eyes, face burning.  
  
“He’s right,” Proto murmured. “This is the way it’s always been. The way it’s supposed to be. The mindless distractions this day and age has are pathetic in comparison. They make it seem like things are more complicated, but it still comes down to matters of the flesh and soul.”  
  
Rin closed her eyes, lowering her head until her face was against his neck.  
  
“Don’t ever leave me, Lancer.”  
  
“Leaving would require wanting to leave,” Lancer murmured. “Can’t have that. I’ll end up with a shitty master.”  
  
They fell asleep for a while.  
  
Curled up against one another, her back to Proto’s chest and her chest to Lancer’s chest, they snoozed for a while before Rin woke up. Her fingers made quick work of the man’s hair, braiding it before she sipped at the wine and fell back asleep.  
  
There was little else.  
  
Sometimes she would awaken, finding the television on and Prototype watching. Other times, their play would begin again. Her body became useless by dawn, her mind and body too fatigued to do anything more than take whatever she got. Lancer stopped it every time, seeing her close to passing out.  
  
The wine was taken.  
  
She wasn’t sure when, but water replaced it. Lancer held up the glass for her, lifting her up so she could swallow.  
  
“Easy now,” he murmured.  
  
“It’s fine.” Rin held his hand, sipping at the water gratefully.  
  
“Drink slowly.”  
  
“I’m fine.” She murmured. “I healed. I can take care of myself.”  
  
“Oh yeah?”  
  
Rin nodded, pressing her head against his chest.  
  
“So you think you don’t need me?”  
  
“I still need you. I love you…”


	18. Chapter 18

Both of them paused at the words. Proto’s gaze flickering to his as he woke right up. Their master meanwhile closed her eyes, humming a little as she settled back into a nice, drunken slumber.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“Shhh,” Lancer held a finger to his lips, sitting up.  
  
She just had to say that. Wake up call words. That wasn’t the kind of thing to let out lightly. He was a servant after all. His mission was to fight and disappear in the end. After her enemies were gone, he wouldn’t need to-  
  
“Yes,” Proto pulled the woman into his arms, holding her up so he could look at her. “Yes, yes.”  
  
“Oi! Let her sleep!”  
  
“Mine,” he breathed. His eyes drifted down her body. “All mine.”  
  
“Ours, idiot.”  
  
“Yeah, but that’s the same thing.” Prototype grinned. “Let’s get the grail and claim her permanently.”  
  
“There’s no grail anymore. Didn’t you hear the kid talkin’ to Rin? We can’t use the grail to keep Rin.”  
  
“Then we just have her figure out some way to keep us?” Proto held her close, stroking her hair. “She’s ours, after all. She’s claimed us. We can’t just leave her.”  
  
“We’ll figure something out.”  
  
But he needed to have Rin back. Lancer tugged the woman out of the other’s arms and held her close again, pressing his lips to her head.  
  
A knock came from nearby after a while, Archer’s head poking in before he raised an eyebrow at them all. “Really?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Sex and destruction of the study? I can’t imagine how you managed to persuade Rin into doing this.”  
  
“You can join us,” Proto held up a can of beer. “Come on over.”  
  
“You’re all naked and drunk. I’d rather not.”  
  
“Come on!” Proto climbed to his feet, stalking the distance towards the slowly retreating archer. His hands wrapped around the other’s, yanking him into the room and onto the cushions.  
  
Archer coughed lightly, glancing over before he held his gaze upwards.  
  
“Prude,” Prototype breathed. “Such a prude.”  
  
Lancer watched his younger self drop down onto the man’s lap, slipping his fingers down the buttoned shirt.  
  
“I think I’ve had enough of the prudish Archer looking down on us all. Drink. Fuck. We’re corrupted our master. Join the rest of us.”  
  
Archer’s face was a deep red.  
  
Lancer pulled Rin slowly away as the two began to- Well, he hadn’t actually considered this turn of events. Picking the woman up, Lancer headed out of the room, backing slowly away so that the others wouldn’t notice. He carried her into her bedroom, slipping under the sheets with her.  
  
The sound of what the other two could be heard for several minutes before Caster’s voice echoed down the hall.  
  
“Poaching again, I see… Move it, Prototype. I have interests with this one.” A door closed down the hall and Lancer wrapped his arms around Rin.  
  
Things were interesting, if nothing else.


	19. Chapter 19

She woke up to her legs tangled with his; her body pressed up against his chest. The gentle sound of his breathing, his heart beating in time to hers, could be heard as she lay there.  
  
He was fast asleep, lost to the world.  
  
Rin looked up at him, watching his calm expression before she ran a hand carefully down his chest. He had blue hairs on his chest, a faint trail of them leading down his abdomen. His muscles and ribs emphasized the active lifestyle he normally lived. Her fingers traced along the lines, taking it all in. For once, she was awake and had the opportunity to look at someone closely.  
  
She had the greatest opportunity to explore him.  
  
Moving slightly, Rin pulled herself out from between his legs. Her eyes remained focused on him, waiting, but he continued to sleep. Her hands drifted down his chest again, pulling the sheets back and thanking the heavens above that she had always preferred the house warm. There wouldn’t be cooler air to wake him up.  
  
He was all height and athletic build. None of the muscle that she would have seen in body builders. Lancer’s body was meant for hand to hand combat, the kind of combat that required him to be light on his feet and stretching. He was flexible.  
  
Still, it didn’t stop him from having a decent amount of muscle and strength in his appearance. She stopped short, looking down at-  
  
Well, she remembered taking that into her mouth.  
  
He was still pretty upright for being asleep. The hairs surrounding it were still short, like the ones on his chest and navel. Staring at it felt odd. It was like she was looking at something that should’ve been tucked away and hidden at all times.  
  
Instead she had felt it in her so many times that it felt impossible to look at without wondering how. How had it fit?  
  
Wrapping her hand around him, Rin glanced up at his face before moving closer. He was asleep. He wouldn’t notice if she took a closer look at him. The length wasn’t the longest, not like some of the vulgar statements she had heard in her lifetime. He was a good length though, long enough that she felt like she wouldn’t be able to fit him when they…  
  
She looked away, letting him go.  
  
That was enough thinking about things she wasn’t supposed to think about. Most likely, she was still slightly intoxicated.  
  
Still…  
  
Her eyes drifted back to his face, taking in the serene look for a moment before she climbed on top of him. Not too many men she knew had their ears pierced. Looking at him more closely, Rin examined his every detail. He had thicker eyelashes than she did too, the jerk.  
  
Even though he was older physically than Prototype, there was still a boyish look to his features. The good humor that he showed whenever he teased could be seen in traces. For whatever reason, he always looked so close to grinning or laughing or a handful of other things he did before he began to embarrass her further.  
  
He had his Adam’s apple sticking out on his neck though. Along with that, there were tiny signs of stubble on his face. Which that was interesting; she hadn’t seen any of the servants with a beard. The thought of him growing some kind of facial hair…  
  
Well no, that didn’t appeal to her. He looked better clean shaven or like this.  
  
There was something about his face that really drew her in though. Looking at him now, she could already see the slight bangs drooping down. He didn’t have the same kind of bangs that Prototype had, but there were a few, enough that when he looked at her, something just burned. It burned slow and deep within her being until she had to turn away or shut her eyes.  
  
What do you plan to do once you find the culprits?  
  
Saber’s words echoed in her mind, making her press against Lancer’s chest.  
  
She couldn’t…  
  
She couldn’t keep him. She had no right. Rights, freedoms, choices: she had to give him the opportunity to grow and develop himself. What’s more, what would it mean to her to be holding onto him and depending on him? She needed to continue to grow up, become self-sufficient.  
  
Those arms wrapped around her waist though, holding her close and killing that defiant voice a little more.  
  
He saved her so many times already, bringing her back from the brink of disaster from Berserker, Archer’s betrayal, from a fire and her house collapsing around her. The more she was around him, the more things seemed to become as natural as breathing. Having him there became natural. He commanded the others easily, deferring to her whenever she wanted to change up the order.  
  
It didn’t feel like the effect Caster had caused with her had much effect on him. Prototype had asked to be distanced unless they were going to do something about it. Caster had avoided her. Berserker took opportunities to climb on her. And Archer…  
  
It hadn’t been hard to notice things once Prototype had told her what had happened. The man had crossed his legs, ensuring his coat was over his lap as he had tried to look reposed and calm on the couch yesterday.  
  
But Lancer hadn’t done anything new. He had kept her close and touched her with the usual response.  
  
It didn’t make any sense for him to be immune. Rather than running off or turning into a mess, he just teased and went about what he normally did.  
  
Rin crossed her arms, watching him sleep. Resting against his chest, she pursed her lips.  
  
Saber was close to Shirou. Given that, before everything had happened and she had summoned servants, she had heard him murmur sweet nothings with Saber; it wasn’t impossible for a master and servant to have that kind of relationship. They were close. Cute. Having Saber as a familiar had been an accomplishment he had achieved with her help. It wouldn’t be hard to summon Lancer to be her familiar. It would just require that the contract between them end at some point. It would have to be mutually wanted.  
  
He would have to want her.  
  
Could she handle having a relationship like Shirou and Sabers’ though? The two of them were thick as thieves, they shared intimate moments and-  
  
“I love you.”  
  
She said it directly to him, concentrating. Had his eyes been open, the phrase would have been much more difficult. He would have probably said something like, ‘are you sure about that’ or ‘that’s called lust.’ It was hard to think of him murmuring something like that.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Again, this time she leaned forward a little more, narrowing her gaze. She had to say it the same way Saber told it to Shirou. The servant said it with such emotion in her voice.  
  
Rin moved a little closer, her hands brushing back his hair a little as she straddled his waist. Leaning in close, she shut her eyes, trying to summon up whatever it was that Saber could do for Shirou. Maybe… maybe it just required her to think about what Lancer meant to her.  
  
“Lancer…” No, the class name wouldn’t do. “Cu Chulainn…” Rin stroked his cheeks lightly, trying to think of the words as she tried to imagine life without him again. The halls without someone hauling her into the study to spend a night doing stupid things. The kitchen without someone running around without a shirt. Her room without Lancer slipping through the windows or under the covers with her.  
  
Her chest felt like a lead ball had formed, weighing her down.  
  
“I love you,” Rin told the sleeping man. The phrase wasn’t enough though. It was so weak. It failed to capture any of thinking of life without him again was like. The empty house and the nights alone. “It’s not like I need anyone here.” She sat up. “I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. I don’t get lonely like Shirou and Saber. I’m fine. I just enjoy your company.”  
  
The silence made her groan, covering her face.  
  
“Damn it.”  
  
Maybe the problem was that she couldn’t imagine him saying the kinds of things she had heard Shirou say to Saber. Lancer was more of the sexual conversationalist. He said vulgar and inappropriate things, not sweet, heartfelt kind of words. He had sex because it was entertaining and he could use the power that came from it, not because he wanted to bond over the experience.  
  
She knew that. It was fine. Lots of members of the Mages Association did the same thing.  
  
Still, something about the whole thing ticked her off. He was immune to the damn work Caster had done to make men become idiots around her. He was immune to saying heartfelt, cute things like Shirou did. He didn’t get embarrassed like herself or Archer. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, and said what he wanted with no reservations. The man was shameless.  
  
“It’s not fair.” Rin shook her head, continuing to cover her face with her hands. “It’s not fair at all. You shouldn’t get to avoid having the kinds of worries I have. I want you to stay, but I can’t make you stay. I love you and you don’t have half the feelings I do.”  
  
It wasn’t fair at all.  
  
It didn’t need to be fair, but damn it all. He couldn’t just come into her life and ruin the walls she had set back up. He had so easily taken them down when she was weak, worming his way right in there until he was a vital part of her.  
  
“You know, most people just stick with I love you when they’re waking up their partner,” Lancer’s voice purred.  
  
A pair of hands snaked up her sides, tugging her hands down before he pulled her back against his chest. Rin trembled, face burning as the man so calmly held her to himself and trapped her on top of him.  
  
“You know, usually there’s a bit more intimate touching involved-“  
  
“How long have you been awake?”  
  
“Eh-“ he looked away a moment before those red eyes just glinted with trouble. “Probably since those nice hands of yours were wrapped around my cock. Felt pretty damn good before you decided to opt for being cute elsewhere.”  
  
She hit him.  
  
Multiple times, smacking him enough that he had to splutter under her. Even then, when he grabbed one of her hands, she had to grab one of the few pillows on the bed. Her assault began anew as she pummeled him with the pillow. He fell out of the bed and Rin stepped over him, tripping slightly to prevent herself from being caught by his reaching hands.  
  
“Rin!”  
  
“Absolutely not!”  
  
“Rin, wait!” Lancer tried to climb to his feet, but she slammed the door shut on him.  
  
She propped a chair under it before nodding, watching the knob and door wiggle as he tried to get out.  
  
“Rin!”  
  
He deserved it. There she was, trying to say something serious and he had been playing around, pretending to sleep just to see what she would say next. He could have done anything. Returned the words, distracted her from saying anything else… He could have even just said he was awake and pulled her mind out of the windfall it had been in. Instead he had waited until she had been frustrated and done, then just pulled her in and admitted that he had just been listening.  
  
A red coat drapped over her shoulders, bringing her attention up to Archer’s gaze.  
  
“Morning.”  
  
“What happened to you?”  
  
The man was covered in bruises and bitemarks, half of his body was covered in runes as he stood… Rin covered her eyes quickly, turning her face away as it turned a deeper scarlet.  
  
“Y-you should be dressed!”  
  
“Caster and Prototype decided to make me join them.” The man covered the lower half of his face, glancing towards the door. “I’m assuming Lancer has done something inexcusable this morning?”  
  
“He did.”  
  
“What time would you like to wander out to look for magecraft?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“Magecraft. We were going to search for mages and any signs of mana use in Fuyuki.”  
  
Right. The damn lancers had distracted her from that. Her head was still in a slight fog from all the liquor and everything too. At this rate, she wasn’t sure if going out would be the best plan… But still, staying meant-  
  
“We can leave as soon as I have breakfast and get dressed.” Rin turned away, stalking down the hallway with Archer’s jacket on. “If you would get breakfast prepared, I’m going to take a shower.”  
  
“Should I let Lancer out?”  
  
Rin glanced at the door and sighed, “Yeah, but wait until I lock the bathroom door.”  
  
He waited. She didn’t hear the door or anything until she was in the shower. The sound of the door being pounded against reached the shower, making her groan deep inside.  
  
“Rin, we have to talk!”  
  
She continued to shower, ignoring the man until she heard the doorknob turn. A shadow appeared on the other side of the curtain before Rin screeched. The man yanked the curtain open, climbing in without preamble. His hands moved along her waist, pulling her close.  
  
“Jesus, Lancer!” Rin smacked him again. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”  
  
“Multi-tasking.” He held on tight, stealing the bottle away from her and beginning to lather her hair. “Since you want to shower instead of sit down and talk to me, we’ll do things this way.”  
  
“We don’t have anything to talk about.”  
  
“Oh yeah?” He leaned closer. “Nothing at all?”  
  
“You made that apparent the moment you decided to remain silent.” Rin just stared straight into those eyes, scowling. “Now let me shower-“  
  
“Absolutely not.”  
  
“What?”  
  
He yawned, of all times to do something like that. His hands pushing her head forward a bit as he massaged her scalp with a vengeance. It was almost punishing the way he worked the shampoo in. “We’re not gonna leave things like that.”  
  
She didn’t bother to respond, staring at her feet instead. Prototype had done a wonderful job on her toes last night. The polish gleamed nicely, the soap bubbles gathering at her feet as it dripped down from her hair.  
  
“First of all, you can’t just assume what I’m thinking without me sayin’ anything. You saying things like that this morning left me with no chance to tell you anything. I figured you were just needing to get somethin’ off your chest. You seemed like you were enjoyin’ yourself so far be it from me to stop you. I liked the curiosity.”  
  
Yep. Her toes were very well done. Prototype had been very careful, not getting even a drop off of her nails. They looked professionally done with all the care that the man had done. Precision seemed to be his forte.  
  
“Oi,” Lancer brushed her hair back, making her look up at him again. Her bangs were brushed out of the way before he leaned in. “Listen, I ain’t the greatest choice for companionship. I like fighting. I’ve killed a lot of people in my time. Hell, I don’t know much about this time other than what I’ve learned from my time here during the grail war and while you were healin’.”  
  
His lips pressed to the tip of her nose.  
  
“But- I’m a sucker for strong willed women and I’d be interested in staying with you.”  
  
Rin’s mental litany stopped. Honestly, she couldn’t ask for more than that. It was to be expected of the man.  
  
What’s more, it felt better.  
  
Hearing him say something like what Shirou would say would have been unnatural. It would have felt wrong coming from him. She had gotten caught up in seeing Shirou the night before. That and the lingering liquor in her system had drudged up things she didn’t need to be thinking about.  
  
Lancer was fine as is.  
  
“That’s fine, Lancer.” Rin moved forward, pulling out from under his hands and under the showerhead. “I’m glad that you feel comfortable with staying with me.”  
  
He stared over at her a moment before letting out a groan. “Damn it, woman.”  
  
The moment he yanked her back to himself, Rin let out a squeak, her legs kicking in the air slightly before they both toppled onto the bottom of the tub. Her body was held close, kept from the brunt of the fall. Still, she winced at the thumping sound as it happened.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
“Damn it.”  
  
“Lancer,” Rin turned, pushing him up slightly. “Where does it hurt?”  
  
“It’s fine.”  
  
“You hit the tub hard. Where does it hurt?” She tried looking over his back and the man pulled her to his lips, kissing her deeply. Even as she hit him, the man continued, pressing her against the bottom of the damn tub as he did.  
  
She spluttered under both him and the showerhead, smacking him once more.  
  
“I’m trying to help you, dammit!”  
  
“Rin.”  
  
“No, let me up! We need to get out so I can-“  
  
He pressed a hand to her navel, leaning in close. His hair fell into his face slightly as he just grinned. “How is it that I can’t have a decent word out of you unless I’m injured or asleep? Was I that bad last night? You comparin’ me to Proto? I’ll have you know, he’s younger, but that doesn’t mean much in the way of skills-“  
  
“It’s nothing like that!”  
  
“No?”  
  
Rin huffed, feeling him pulling her face back to look at him when she tried to turn away.  
  
“Look at me.”  
  
She looked up at him, daring him to say something. She dared him with her eyes to mock her or tease her.  
  
Those eyes searched her expression, one of his hands brushing his hair back a little as a smile grew on his face. “You’re damn attractive when you glare at me.”  
  
“Lanc-“  
  
“Hold on,” Lancer leaned in closer. His mouth went to her ear, voice softening. “If you want to hear me say that so bad, then I’ll make a deal with you. When you can hold my hand and kiss me in front of everyone else, even Red and Shirou, then I’ll say it. I’ll say it and the thousand other things in my head that I think of when I see you. I won’t do it a second before then though.”  
  
He winked, pulling away and standing back up. As she just lay there, frozen in place at the alarming image of kissing him in front of everyone, the man went about shampooing his hair. It was only when he was washing that Rin realized her gaze was on his crotch and the man was winking again at her.  
  
“You can clean that while you’re down there.”  
  
This time, she didn’t rush to his aid when he collapsed, opting to ignore him and the fallen shower curtain as she stood up and went about finishing her shower.


	20. Chapter 20

“Rin,” Archer looked over at her, standing back from the top of the building. “I don’t think we’ll be successful in detecting anything.”  
  
It had been hours, long and difficult hours of trying to find any signs of mana. Shirou and Saber had decided to search on the ocean, looking around the different docks as she and her servants had split up to hunt through the town.  
  
The hours of looking for signs of mana hadn’t been hard though. In fact, the work had made the day bearable. Each corner and trickle of energy had been exciting, bringing them closer to finding answers only for them to find some kind of life nearby or for the trail to go cold. Despite that, Rin still took certain samples of soil, planning to look into them with alchemy for further information.  
  
Yes, the hunting had been fine.  
  
What wasn’t fine was the people she was with. Archer, once again clothed and back to his usual self-centered self, was being particularly difficult. Each time they had to stop, he looked around, checking the area before telling her- again- that this was a waste.  
  
When she would take a sample of soil or water, she handed him the vials, making him carry her bag after a while so she could have full control of her movement.  
  
Lancer, meanwhile, wandered away here and there. His hoodie would flap whenever he would drop down to a lower road or from a fence. Whenever he got the opportunity, he would begin trailing after signs of mana or magecraft.  
  
And both she and Archer would stare, catching one another looking from time to time.  
  
The umpteenth time this happened, Archer scoffed.  
  
“They’re unhealthy to have around.”  
  
“They are,” she agreed.  
  
Archer crossed his arms as Rin looked around carefully. The terrain was much like the other areas they had grabbed soil from. It was a higher class area. Nothing unique or unusual was going on around the houses. There were no particular names of note living around there. Just more decently set families.  
  
“You’re fighting with Lancer.”  
  
“We had a small argument.”  
  
Archer leaned over her as she ran a hand over the edges of what little mana she could feel. It was too faint to really tell her much. “Rin,” Archer watched her carefully. “What are you hoping to have happen with your relationship with him?”  
  
“Focus, Archer.”  
  
The man huffed. “He’s not like anything that you own. He lacks manners. He forgets to put the seat down. He can’t cook. He drinks and smokes. He’s vulgar. His fighting style is entirely spontaneous and without any forethought. I doubt he has the abilities to think in the long-term.”  
  
“ARCHER!”  
  
The man stopped, just staring at her as she yelled at him.  
  
“I know that. I know all of that. But you were with his doppelgangers. You can’t judge me any more than I can judge you.” Rin brushed her hair back, cursing the fact that she had decided against putting her ribbons in. Her hair was getting in the way too much today.  
  
Archer sniffed a bit, glancing in the direction that Lancer had gone. “…Did you notice that Prototype has a talent for being very precise in what he does?”  
  
“He’s incredibly detailed,” Rin looked over at him, taking a sample and labelling it just to have something to do.  
  
The man nodded.  
  
Since their conversation though, Rin had found herself trading questions here and there with the man. Little notes and observations.  
  
They seemed to be overly touchy.  
  
The lancers were all very particular about their food.  
  
They seemed to enjoy arguments and teasing too much.  
  
They slept like logs.  
  
They ate with little care to anyone watching.  
  
They smoked too much.  
  
Every time Lancer disappeared, there was another tidbit. Rin found herself waiting for Lancer to return after a certain point, prepared to head up to the top of one of the tallest buildings around Fuyuki.  
  
After a few minutes, they climbed up to the top, looking out only for Archer to point out that the man had wandered into the market and was arguing with a fish merchant.  
  
“Of all the things,” Rin sighed, leaning back against an exhaust pipe.  
  
Which led them to this moment.  
  
Archer’s traded information and complaints had ended, leaving only a frustrated sigh to leave him once again as he leaned back.  
  
“What’s the plan now, Rin?”  
  
“We’ll see what the others find and then see what we get from our samples. If we’re right, there should be some kind of information we can get. We can map what kind of energy the person or persons are using and maybe get a location for where they could have been using magecraft.”  
  
“And with the location?”  
  
“We can figure that out when we have answers.”  
  
A flash of blue drifted up, a flash of red spinning before Lancer dropped down next to them. He panted lightly, glancing towards where he had come from.  
  
“Tall building.”  
  
Archer just stared at him as Rin gaped. “Did… Did you just leap up the entire building?!”  
  
“It took a minute. I had to get a running start.” Lancer grinned. “It was good exercise though.”  
  
“You idiot!” She smacked him, repeatedly. “You don’t just leap up the side of an entire building!”  
  
“I had my weapon to help buoy me up here!”  
  
“You don’t just leap up the side of an entire building! This is over a hundred floors! You could have fallen!”  
  
Archer coughed lightly, moving towards the stairwell.  
  
“Calm down,” Lancer whined, grabbing her hands and holding them behind her back only to grunt as her heels hit his feet. He lifted his foot up, hissing lightly before she head butted him.  
  
“Damn idiot!” Her hand wrapped around his, “Come on. We’re meeting with the others.”  
  
They moved into the elevator together. Her hand still wrapped around his as Archer walked in behind them. As the doors closed, Rin paused.  
  
She was holding his hand.  
  
Technically, they were hand holding.  
  
The man’s words from earlier echoed in her head as they descended down the building, waiting quietly as the light moved with the descent. Lancer’s hand remained in place, holding hers but light enough that she could pull away if she chose to do so.  
  
Glancing at their hands, Rin bit her lip.  
  
She stroked his hand lightly, feeling him return the gesture.  
  
She squeezed it a little.  
  
He squeezed hers a couple times gently.  
  
Archer coughed lightly behind them.  
  
“You should get some medicine for that,” Lancer told him.  
  
“I was trying to decide whether you and Rin needed alone time. You both seem to be enjoying yourselves.”  
  
Lancer shrugged, his hand tightening a little on hers. As she looked up at him, the doors opened. They slipped into the lobby area and headed outside, back onto the street. Once more, Rin found herself debating whether to let go of his hand or not.  
  
She didn’t need to hear him say anything to her.  
  
Honestly, it would probably be embarrassing to hear. Lancer would probably say something to tick her off or send her into a blushing mess. It would probably be in front of someone again too.  
  
Still, she kept her hand in his, holding onto his arm with the other as they walked. To anyone walking by, it wouldn’t be hard to know what kind of relationship was happening. Archer walked behind them, his attention on the area.  
  
Caster and Proto waved as they approached, Caster’s long skirt shifting in the evening wind slightly as they got closer.  
  
“Didn’t miss us too much, did ya, Archer?”  
  
Archer rolled his eyes at Proto’s questions, handing the bag to Caster.  
  
“Samples?”  
  
“Rin wanted to collect them.”  
  
“We did the same,” Proto held up his bag. “Lots of random locations. Nothing that led anywhere.”  
  
Lancer nodded, glancing towards the port area as Shirou and Saber approached. While Shirou looked troubled, Saber was devouring ice cream.  
  
“We didn’t find anything,” Saber told them.  
  
Shirou frowned a little, bringing the whole observation that Rin’s hands were holding onto Lancer’s arm all the more obvious. It felt like being put in the limelight. Once again, she was questioning about whether or not it was worthwhile.  
  
The sight seemed to mellow out Saber though. Rin kept her grip as Saber smiled in her direction. “Did you have any luck, Rin?”  
  
“Nothing really. Soil and water samples from a few places that had residue. I’ll know more after I investigate a little more.”  
  
“Should we all get something to eat?” Shirou looked around, earning a shake of the head from Archer.  
  
“Caster and I are planning to train Prototype this evening. Along with that, the samples won’t last long since they’ve been taken.”  
  
Liar.  
  
Rin didn’t bother to look back at him. The man was bluffing entirely.  
  
“We can plan to have dinner in a couple days,” Rin told them all. “Since Caster and I will probably be working in shifts to look at the samples, we can plan to get together and go over the details together.”  
  
Saber nodded, looking around before tugging at Shirou. “Let’s head out then. It’s getting later and it’s not a great to be out with an arsonist out on the loose.”  
  
“Right.” Rin looked at the others. “Let’s move out.”  
  
Lancer’s grip was still firm as they turned, heading towards home. Proto moved ahead, complaining of Berserker as he went. Caster and Archer disappeared after the next road, making it just-  
  
Rin stared towards the ground, waiting at a crossing with Lancer in tow. Her face burned brightly as a couple children stared up at her.  
  
It was embarrassing. It was obnoxiously embarrassing. She was hardly tall enough to be to his chest and she was holding onto him like a lifeline. What’s more, the longer the kids stared, the more she started to realize that their parents were glancing over as well. They were no doubt wondering what she was doing with a foreigner.  
  
Lancer glanced down at her, bringing her attention solely to her feet. Her body pressed closer to his a little.  
  
The hand holding hers let go, wrapping around her shoulder as the light changed.  
  
“Come on.”  
  
They moved, silently. Each step with that arm over her shoulder just made the situation more laughable. He was too tall. He was too strange to have at her side. The more they walked side by side, the more the differences stood out.  
  
“Lancer…”  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing…” Rin shook her head, looking up at the sky as they walked. “I was just thinking…”  
  
Those eyes looked over at her.  
  
“What are your goals?”  
  
“My goals?”  
  
“Hopes. Dreams.” She sighed slightly. “I don’t know what you gain out of this whole thing other than the opportunity to fight.”  
  
“Eh,” Lancer brushed his bangs back, frowning a little. “I’m always happy to fight again. If not, I like the simple things. Between those two things, I’m content. I don’t have much in the way of hopes or dreams. Just tired of dying.”  
  
Rin leaned her head against him as they turned the corner, getting closer to the house.  
  
“Enjoying yourself, Rin?” Lancer looked down at her, grinning. “You held my hand the whole time without complaint.”  
  
“I’m capable of being cuddly and open about my interests.” Rin grinned, picking up her pace a little. “I’m not one to hold myself back from something I want. I’m a first rate mage, after all.”  
  
He picked up the pace to keep up, his mouth finding hers.  
  
“Well,” he murmured. “Keep that in mind the next time someone tries to embarrass you. We can see about-“  
  
The man stopped, glancing over towards a fork in the road.  
  
Rin stopped as well, looking over and pausing at the sight of Sakura.  
  
The woman looked over at them a moment before running off, her skirts fluttering behind her as she went.  
  
“Sakura!”  
  
She didn’t hesitate, making chase with Lancer at her heels. The man’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her close and stopping her.  
  
“Lancer, let go! I have to talk to her!”  
  
“Rin,” Lancer held her back, his eyes trailing after the woman. “Rin, listen to me.”  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“She had blood on her hands, Rin.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Lancer headed in the opposite direction, hurrying towards the house. “That woman had blood on her hands. You could smell it.”  
  
“I didn’t smell anything.”  
  
Prototype met them at the end of the driveway.  
  
“What’s going on?”  
  
Prototype moved forward at the question, shaking his head. “Someone attacked the house, but Berserker took a swipe at ‘em. Caster and Archer are out now looking for the person while Berserker soaks in the kitchen sink.”  
  
“He attacked-“ Rin didn’t get to let the words out, Lancer spoke over her.  
  
“Recall them both. We know who it was.”  
  
“We do not!” Rin smacked him. “We don’t know anything! Sakura could have a cut or could have found Berserker in the road!”  
  
Lancer headed inside, Prototype following at his heels.  
  
“Where does Sakura live, Rin?”  
  
“No!”  
  
“Rin,” Lancer held her shoulders, glaring at her.  
  
“I’m not-“  
  
“Rin, we have to look into this. We won’t attack. We won’t do anything without your consent, but we have to know where she lives and we have to have someone watch her place.”  
  
“I’ll go,” Proto leaned forward. “You know I won’t do anything rash, Rin.”  
  
Rin shook her head again, leaning against Lancer’s grip. “Her name is Sakura Matou. You can’t miss her home. It’s near the temple, just a little further outside of town. She lives with her brother.”  
  
“I’ll head out now.” The man rushed out, disappearing through the doorway before Rin shook her head again.  
  
“Whatever blood was on her hands-“  
  
“Let’s check on Berserker first.” Lancer steered her towards the kitchen, entering only to find the little one lying on the counter.  
  
There were knife wounds, multiple ones, as Berserker breathed carefully. His eyes drifted over to them as Rin stared.  
  
“But he- It doesn’t make sense that he wouldn’t have just killed his attacker.”  
  
She winced, thinking back. The command spell. He couldn’t kill unless she was in danger or said otherwise. Since it had been his life in danger, he couldn’t aim to kill. He had taken the blows and survived.  
  
“I made a mistake.”  
  
Lancer moved forward, whistling lightly as he surveyed the damage. “Gods, Berserker. You couldn’t just knock ‘em out, could ya? Would’ve saved us a lot of trouble.”  
  
Berserker growled at him, rolling over a minute before Rin slumped into a chair.  
  
The small servant clambered from where he lay, climbing onto her lap and curling up once again. His face pressed against her chest.  
  
“Who attacked you, Berserker,” Rin murmured, running her hands through his hair lightly.  
  
Caster and Archer clambered in the back door, panting lightly before Caster looked around. They were back in their armor, Caster’s coat falling off his shoulders slightly.  
  
“Where’s Prototype?”  
  
“He went to watch the Matou house.” Lancer crossed his arms. “I think we got the lead we were looking for. We saw Sakura Matou running from us with blood on her person. Berserker’s been attacked.”  
  
“He could have attacked her first,” Rin offered.  
  
Caster waved a hand at them both, spinning around on his heels.  
  
“There’s a barrier about a half mile from here. Come on, Archer.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
Lancer followed after them, being stopped at the door by Archer.  
  
“Someone has to stop Rin from leaving.”  
  
“The barrier-“  
  
“I’m going to get Proto. Caster will deal with the barrier. Take Rin and search the grounds. The last thing we need is another fire burning the house down.”  
  
Lancer growled as the man vanished.  
  
“Lancer-“  
  
“Take Berserker upstairs to our room. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He materialized Gae Bolg, setting it in her hands. “Your form’s not the best, but you can stab someone as well as the next person. Just make sure not to hesitate if it isn’t me.”  
  
The man was gone, disappearing out the door. Berserker’s gaze flickered up to hers and Rin sighed, looking between the small servant and the lance.  
  
“Berserker,” Rin grabbed her coat from nearby, slipping Berserker into the hood. “Stay in there, Berserker. We’re going to go help Lancer.”  
  
They could check around doors and windowsills as Lancer checked outside.


	21. Chapter 21

This was the second time that Rin was adamant about it not being someone who would harm her. Lancer sat with the others, after hours of checking around the perimeter, searching and finding the place where Berserker had been attacked, finding mana residue around the grounds, finding a couple places where seals had been placed, and dragging a quiet Rin and Berserker back into the house.

She had seen the seals, looked at where they had been placed, deep in foliage and greenery that would set fire quickly. The blood around one of the seals made it obvious that Berserker had caught someone in the act.

Still, the woman hadn’t said a word as she had destroyed the seal. Her arms had wrapped around Berserker as they final returned indoors.

Archer made tea. Prototype tried to make something to eat, getting direction here and there from Archer as they busied themselves in the kitchen. Caster wandered upstairs, bringing down supplies before he began to instruct Rin on making a healing salve for Berserker.

Which left Lancer to sit nearby, watching everything.

“Easy,” Caster told her, ignoring the returning Archer and Prototype. “You don’t want to squish his stomach when you apply the salve. He needs to continue breathing, Rin.”

“I’m not trying to hurt him.”

“Here,” Caster moved closer, wrapping his body around hers and covering her hand. “Careful strokes. Be sure to let it go on thick. You can make more salve, but the wound will scar if you put too little on there.”

“What happens if he scars?”

“With the runes and markings on his body- I’m not too sure, but I would hate to have him heal over the runes only to cause an adverse reaction. This is why runework on the body is a bad idea.”

“You used runes on me…”

“Temporary runes. The kind that can be wiped away when they are done.” Caster leaned his head to hers, watching her work. “Better.”

“I need you to teach me how to create runes and cast spells like you do.” The woman pulled away slightly, beginning to rewrap Berserker in bandages. “So far, we’ve relied on you for everything.”

“I don’t mind it.”

“But if we have more than one person injured, I don’t want to have one person wait while you work on the other. With two of us knowledgeable, we could get things done faster.”

“Runes take a lot of energy, Rin.” Caster shook his head. “I can teach you some things, but others will suck at your mana and test your limitations. I think it might be-“

“We’ll begin working on it tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to spend the morning training with Lancer and Prototype,” the woman told him simply, as though her word was law. As though they had all discussed it and she was just confirming the times.

Prototype nodded, cracking open a can nearby. “Sounds good to me. Lancer can work with you tomorrow while I watch our enemy’s place.”

“Sakura is not our enemy!”

The room went silent, Archer rolling his eyes nearby.

“Whether or not she’s your enemy, Rin. She has attacked Berserker. The seals were in place to burn the house down again.”

“Sakura didn’t do it,” Rin insisted.

Archer leaned forward. “Does she have the capabilities of using mana?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what she has studied or done over the course of the past few years?”

“She does archery and studies in school. That’s it. She’s a Matou and that family has been losing all power and magecraft capabilities with the youngest generation. Her brother Shinji couldn’t even fight during the war.” Rin glared over at him. “If you remember, he had to-“

“That’s the kid that was trying to rape you in the basement before, isn’t it?” Lancer asked, earning a vicious look from the woman before him.

“That’s besides the point, Lancer-“

“If she sees you as an enemy for turning away her brother-“

“She wouldn’t do that to me.”

Archer just raised an eyebrow.

“Sakura is my sister by blood. Despite being given to the Matou family, Sakura wouldn’t want to hurt me.”

They all collectively groaned at the sheer naivety of that statement. There were at least a thousand other reasons Lancer could now think of. A spurned child, abandoned by its family, would want to cause harm to family members. One that was left to a weaker family while its family that it should be with continued to gain power- would want to cause harm to family members.

Gods, but Rin was smart, attractive in a unique manner. She no doubt had attentions from others aside from the girl’s brother. All it took was jealousy or resentment and Rin was a walking, ignorant target.

Archer stood up, pulling off his necklace and setting it on the table in front of her.

“What are you doing?”

“If you’re going to get yourself killed, do me the favor of a few more days here and give me the mana now before you let the woman stab you.”

“Sakura-“

“I heard you the first dozen times you’ve said it,” Archer interrupted, his gaze narrowed. “How many people would it take getting stabbed around you and how many times does the woman have to hurt you in order for you to understand that she doesn’t consider you family, Rin. We aren’t talking about Shirou and Saber. We’re not talking about someone that talks to you and spends time with you. We’re talking about someone who, from what I remember, never really spoke to you.”

“It’s complicated,” Rin replied, brushing her hair back.

“Let me make it uncomplicated. If it hadn’t been Berserker here, not Lancer, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“What are you saying?”

“Berserker is incapable of speech and has already harmed you. Seeing him injured doesn’t hold the same depth of response as having myself or Lancer harmed would. So think about it as though it were one of us. If Lancer were stabbed and lay bleeding out on your lawn while she ran off, you would react differently.”

“I would still believe in Sakura.”

“Why?”

Lancer motioned Prototype to sit back, exchanging a shake of the head with Caster. Rin needed to hear it. If she didn’t think about things like the way Archer was saying, then they would all be in trouble.

Archer moved the necklace towards her a little more when Rin just glared at him, refusing to say a word. “As I said before, if you’re going to end up getting yourself killed, do myself and the others the service of enough mana to last a few days after you die… although I somehow think Lancer will want to get put down with you. He’ll probably just die a moment before you. Not that you’ll pay that much mind-“

“Stop it.”

“-Truly, I can’t think of a kinder service that you can give than to allow us the freedom of a few extra days while you continue to close yourself off to even the remote possibility of-“

“I said shut up!” Rin glared at him. “No one is dying and Sakura isn’t a killer!”

“You speak to her then?”

“I know my sister!”

“You don’t have a sister, Rin. You have a blood relative with no family association or ties to you. What you have are memories. Cute, bittersweet memories.”

“Archer,” Proto shifted in his seat, putting his empty can down. “I think you’re-“

“Don’t,” Archer held up a hand in the man’s direction. “There’s been enough coddling. While I could defend Shirou to some extent, there is nothing and no one to speak for Sakura’s character at this point.”

“Sakura could have been here for a hundred different reasons,” Rin told him.

“So does Lancer die first or one of the rest of us?” Archer looked down at her.

“Archer, I command you to-“

“You don’t have a contract with me, which is why your servants,” he motioned at the rest of them, “aren’t saying what needs to be said. They’re following like good pups while you crawl in your self-denial and deny what you see.”

“I-“

“So much for that love of yours, huh?”

Rin just froze, her eyes looking up at him.

“Sure,” Archer continued, “fucking is one thing. You’ll get upset on his behalf probably as well, but you won’t protect him the way he has protected you. I’m guessing that’s something that ruined your relationship with Shirou, isn’t it? You cared, but barely. You were a fool’s dream and nothing more. Didn’t need to be. You let Saber build her relationship up because you knew you didn’t care enough and now you’re going to let someone else you care for be killed because you still don’t care enough.”

This time, Prototype had to motion him to sit back. Those blue eyes of Rin’s were dripping now, her body trembling as Archer pulled her hand into his and set the necklace down in it.

“You can cry after you put the mana in there.” He told her. He wiped at one of her eyes and stood up. “Or after Lancer dies. Probably would be easier on him to just kill him so he has a chance to know you’re no different than any of the other masters that he’s had.”

“Watch over Sakura’s house,” Rin muttered. She handed the necklace back to Archer and shook her head. “Look for any signs that she’s the culprit and if she tries to attack, do whatever you feel is necessary.”

“Even if that means killing her?”

She nodded.

“Why?”

“You know why,” Rin replied.

“I know what I have argued with you, but I don’t know what part of what I said reached you, Rin.” The man replaced the necklace around his neck once again. “I need to hear you tell me why you would condemn the woman to die.”

“I can’t watch Lancer die. Or any of you.” Rin looked over at Berserker as the little servant crawled over to Caster and climbed into his hood. “Seeing Berserker hurt is bad enough, but having the rest of you get hurt isn’t worthwhile.”

“That’s not a reason why,” Archer argued.

“I’m letting you and the others investigate and respond to a possible attack,” she huffed. Her arms crossed as she glared up at him. “I don’t care to know how you plan to divvy up watching the Matou residence, just make sure it’s watched.”

“Proto and I will go first.” Archer motioned at him. “We’ll be back in the afternoon.”

“Watch each other’s backs while you’re out there.”

“Thank you, Rin.” The man leaned down, kissing her cheek lightly as Prototype headed for the front door. “I stand by what I said before… You are a magnificent master to work for.”

“We don’t have a contract, remember? Which is why you can say the things you say to me.”

He chuckled. “I would have said them anyway. Caring for someone means saying things that the other won’t always want to hear.”

The man headed out, shutting the door behind himself.

Everything in the room was silent, Rin busying herself with a cup of tea with trembling hands. Berserker’s tail was the only other sound in the room, flicking back and forth before he growled lightly and bit at Caster.

“Alright,” Caster motioned the critter back into the depths of his hood. “I think I’ve enjoyed the tension enough for one night. If you both need me, I’ll be in the basement, analyzing the samples we received this morning and the sample that Archer pulled from the yard. If nothing else, it’ll tell us if our guest was the same person using magic throughout the city.”

He nodded again, picking up a few cookies from the table and leaving one in his hood. Berserker’s tail swished in response, the sound of chomping heard as the man left the room, disappearing quickly enough.

Rin didn’t speak, opting to pour another cup of tea and sit straight on the couch nearby. As he watched, she focused entirely on the drink in her hands, forcing herself to stop shaking.

She was used to this. Being alone, forcing herself to do things despite not liking the outcomes that could come about, stamping down emotions; it was little wonder she became easily embarrassed by attention and feelings.

No wonder she had to work at doing what came as natural as breathing to others.

Lancer pulled one of the beer cans that Prototype had brought in into hand, cracking it open and continuing to watch Rin. “…So Sakura is your sister?”

“Yes…”

“She doesn’t look like you.”

“She used to.” Rin shook her head. “She changed after she left. I didn’t really get to see her again for a long time.”

Lancer nodded, taking another swig of his drink. “Lost a son back in my time.”

Rin just stared at him, gaping as he shrugged.

“War time. He challenged me to the death. Kill or be killed. Sucks, but you do what you have to do and don’t think about the rest. I really didn’t know him well in any case. Focus on that. You don’t know her anymore.”

“She’s close to Shirou though.”

“One of my father figures was close with a queen I had to fight against a few thousand times over. Acquaintances of close friends doesn’t mean friends, Rin. It just means they have at least a bit of good taste.”

“I can’t close myself off like that.” Rin stared at her teacup. “Sakura and I spent a lot of time together when we were younger. Why my father would hand her over-“

“Don’t think about it.”

He moved over to her side, nudging her slightly as she began to say something.

“You’ll only make it worse, Rin. Don’t think about it. Sometimes you have to stop thinking and just act. Do what your mind doesn’t want you to do. Say what needs to be said.”

“I won’t let you die.”

Those blue eyes looked over at him. “Archer was right in saying what he said, but he shouldn’t have mentioned that.”

“It really bothered you to think of me gone, didn’t it?” He inched that defiant chin upwards, watching those eyes glint in the light. There was a slight force trying to get him to pull away, to let her retreat, but he just moved closer, setting the can down on the table. “You’re getting attached, aren’t ya?”

“I’m already attached, you idiot.”

“You’re livin’ dangerously thinking things like that, Rin.”

The cup went to the table, Rin’s attention going to him once more as she brushed that long hair of hers back again. “You need to work on teasing better if you’re going to tease me, Lancer. I’m telling you that I’m not going to let you die so you better get comfortable. While you come to terms with that, I’m going to figure out if Sakura is trying to kill me and find out who did try to kill me.”

“And then?”

“And then I’m going to kill them.” Rin nodded after she said that. “I have five servants. I came back from almost dying and I have more mana in me now than my father most likely had when he was alive. If I can’t kill them, I’m sure one of you can.”

“And then what?”

“And then…” Rin paused, thinking for a moment before she looked over at him. “And then you’ll just have to stick around while I become a part of the Mages Association and become one of the most powerful mages to ever live.”

“You’ll get enemies talking like that.”

“That’s why I need you at my side.”

Lancer sighed, leaning back and brushing a hand through his hair.

Always with these strong willed women. They were always causing trouble, sticking their noses where they didn’t belong and getting into things they had no business getting in the middle of. Looking at her now, there was no doubt that her mind was made up. She knew exactly what she was saying and exactly what it would mean. They would continue to burn mana until she passed. Then he would return to the summoning pool where all the heroes ended up.

Still, if she became as powerful as she wanted to be, there was a good chance that she would end up in the summoning pool as well. A cursed life, but it would mean they would enjoy bantering and eternity.

And kill one another here and there, but that would be alright.

“You’re nothing but trouble,” Lancer told her finally. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close and closing the distance between them further. Her body just tumbled straight into his arms, all soft and supple. His forehead pressed against hers. “That’s fine. I’ll stay at your side, but you better know right now that I’m not going to put up with those doe-y eyed looks you cast the brat’s way.”

“What?!”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice. You were all concerned about Emiya Shirou, holding his arm and-“

“He was injured by you guys days ago and wasn’t healing!”

“Uh huh,” he leaned his head back, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she spluttered. “It’s damned hard to watch, seeing your woman just clinging to some kid with a scraped knee.”

“He didn’t have a scraped knee! He- Wait!” Her face was reddened now, her hands pressing against his chest. “Who said I was your woman! I am your master!”

“Rather bold of you to say, master. I didn’t know you thought of our bedroom play in that manner.”

The attack was to be expected, her hands pounding against his chest as he laughed up a storm. Her hair was still getting in her way as well, making it more tempting to bury his face in the thick brown mess and find her face.

He leaned in a little closer, finding Rin’s body falling against him. She buried her hands in his hair, hiding under his chin as he blinked.

“You’re such an asshole sometimes.”

He was. There was no denying that fact. Wrapping his arms around her a little more, Cu worked a hand down the buttons on the front of her shirt.

“…I’m not in the mood.”

“It ain’t about a mood thing, Rin.” He pulled the shirt off, leaving her upper body revealed. His hands moved behind her next, beginning to knead into that smooth skin, working out the tension. At the feeling, he felt her face press against his chest more. Her arms lost all their strength it seemed.

She gave a small sound of pleasure, adjusting a little against him.

“You get far too tense,” he told her, working at the more stubborn bits of tension. His fingers worked methodically, making those blue eyes close and her body cling to him more. She was so pliable this way, so willing to surrender to the feelings he brought out of her. His little master… Like a secreted away treasure, only for him to enjoy.

“There’s a lot to worry about,” she sighed. “Someone is trying to kill us.”

“Everything in life is trying to kill you. Everyone’ll die at some point too. You just have to enjoy what you have while you can.”

“Do you miss your time?”

“Not really.”

At the feel of those eyes looking up at him, Lancer stole her lips. He kissed her easily, grinning as he pulled back. “Food was hard to come by at times. People lied and killed without any conversation. Allies were just temporary. No one could hold onto anything without someone trying to come along and kill or steal it away. When people bled, it meant death. People became sick without any kind of warning. And the sick- well, there was little hope for them.”

“You had a son though. I would have thought-“

“I didn’t really know ‘em. Women are unusual beasties. I had my mentor train my son, but I was fighting wars. I didn’t have time to spend or the resources to stop fighting. I died standing upright just to fend off a few more enemies.”

Rin pressed a hand to his chest, curling her legs closer to herself. “And the grail wars?”

“The ones I have fought in have been in the past and the future. You wouldn’t be very impressed with some of the things that happen. This time is at least a nice happy medium. I like that people still feel the soil beneath their feet. They still wander out and appreciate the world in a multitude of ways, but have the conveniences that could only come in a future time. Enjoy your present, Rin.”

She nodded, her head pressing against his chest a little more as he continued to rub her back. “Part of me wants to try to create the grail just to change what happened to Sakura.”

“Ain’t worth it.”

“I know.”

They sat on the couch for a while after that. He moved his hands into her hair, massaging at her scalp until she fell asleep. When her breathing evened out, he pulled her up into his arms, heading towards the stairs and into her room.

Once more, he tucked her beneath the sheets.

And he left her there, wandering down to the basement and settling into a seat near where Caster was working.

A damn Caster, of all things. Lancer leaned back, propping his feet up as the man adjusted his jacket and glanced over in his direction.

“Problems?”

“Nah, just small talk with the master for a while until she went to sleep.” He let the chair drop back onto all fours, leaning forward. “What is the verdict from working on those samples?”

“Nothing conclusive.” Caster shrugged. “They aren’t like confessions, Lancer. I can’t look at them and find out the truth. I do know someone was using a lot of magecraft in the locations though. Some samples had less than others, but there’s nothing that correlates with what is on the map.” He motioned at the city map nearby. “I plotted them all out, but it’s random.”

“Do you think Berserker could watch Rin for us?”

The man hummed, glancing in the direction of a basket nearby. Berserker’s eyes flickered their way, watching.

“He could,” Caster relented. “I’m not sure how much help he would be if someone attacked, but it would certainly not be impossible.”

“I want to set eyes on the Matou place. Archer and Prototype are still out there watching the place and I think this is our best opportunity.”

“Do you think Rin’ll sleep long enough?”

He shrugged, glancing up at him from beneath eyelashes. “Do you want to wait for her to reluctantly send half of us out until the woman does something?”

“You want to go ahead with an attack?”

“Nah, I just want to shake things up. I was thinking about it earlier while out with Rin and Archer.”

“Go on.” Caster moved over to pick up Berserker.

He just shook his head at the other, pulling Berserker from his arms and hurrying upstairs. With the other at his heels, it didn’t take more than a moment to get the small servant onto the bed with Rin. Berserker’s body curled up against her chest, earning an arm slung over his body and a small hum from the slumbering woman.

And then they were heading out of the room, down the stairs, and out the door. Lancer set the pace. Caster’s casual attire dematerialized for his armor, his staff appearing in hand as they turned a corner. With mana flowing thick through their veins, the roads turned to a blur, the night blocking them from being seen.

Archer’s hand waved from nearby as they reached the Matou estate. Proto’s staff poking out of nearby brush as they paused.

The four of them collected together on the nearby roof, remaining out of view of any of the windows of the home.

“I assume she’s in there,” Lancer began.

“Went to her room and began wiping up the blood. Berserker got her shoulder,” Archer confirmed.

“Anything incriminating?”

“Nothing. The house has been silent.”

“We’re going to take the offense, right?” Proto glanced towards the house, his gaze narrowed. “There’s something unsettling about the place. Something is damn wrong with it.”

Caster nodded. “We’re gonna burn it down.”

“Burn it down?” Archer crossed his arms, leaning back a little as he crouched nearby. “That’s a stupid plan if I’ve ever heard one. Not only would that let them know that we know who they are, it would upset Rin to no end. The woman could lie about everything and Rin would feel obliged to pay for what we did.”

“If we burn the house, she’d die-“

“Possibly. Unless she is capable of summoning a servant,” Archer argued.

“I have another idea,” Lancer offered.

The men just looked at him.

“We’ll need Saber,” Lancer told them. “Maybe that kid Shirou as well.”

“What for?” Archer asked.

“Saber’s going to get us into the house. We’ll search the place from top to bottom and find whatever evidence we are looking for. With that, Rin’ll let us kill the woman and things will be done.”

“Lanc-“

“Shinji!”

The four of them moved immediately at the girl’s voice. Archer perched himself against the chimney nearest as Lancer slid into a tree. From his position, he could see the two walking out of the building, a young woman and boy.

There were few other words for someone as cowardly as the Matou boy.

“Sakura,” Shinji glared over at her. “You aren’t even a real Matou so don’t go telling me what to do. You’re just a stupid brat that was brought into this household by my grandfather.” He spat towards the ground, watching her and grinning a little at the look he found on the woman’s face.

“I couldn’t-“

“You couldn’t. A simple task and you couldn’t do it twice.” He moved forward, holding up her face by the jaw. “Crawling with grandfather’s bugs and you can’t even do one simple job. It was the only damn task that woman gave us to do. Kill Tohsaka.”

“I’ll return tomorrow-“

“Oh yeah?” Shinji laughed, the sound echoing around the area. “And what? You think she’s gonna let you in after you were attacked. Her servant probably tipped her off. Pathetic as you made it sound, it probably still has some abilities. No, I’ll plan something. You have no value. Again.”

The woman began to follow after him again and Lancer motioned Archer to pause. There was no doubt what the man wanted to do, his bow and arrow at the ready.

“You think you want to follow me to her,” Shinji snarled, looking back to see her there. The boy closed the distance between them and yanked her close. “I was warned what to do if you ever got in the way. Or rather, you were.” He pulled her back towards the house.

“Shinji!”

“Come on, we’ll go to your favorite room in the house.”

The woman followed after him, the world going silent as they all waited outside. Lancer leaned forward a bit more, listening. But the voices were gone; only the sound of the crickets and church bells tolling the hour could be heard.

Prototype and Caster positioned themselves closer to the house, pressing against either side of the entrance to the property.

They waited, gazes flickering to one another for some kind of indication of movement or noise.

A lock clicked, the front doors opening as Shinji appeared once more. A device was pressed against his ear as he locked the house.

“I took care of the problem,” the boy told the thing, walking down the path and heading down the road. “I’m going to go get supplies since it’s late. I’ll fix this problem before it goes any further… I know…” The boy paused.

His face darkened.

“Don’t give up on me. As agreed, the circuits from the woman go to me. It’s the least she can do for what that useless servant in the war did to scar me in her name.”

The light poke from Gae Bolg? Lancer leaned forward, remembering that moment well enough. The kid had sprinted off in a fit from just a light poke. He had barely broken the skin.

“She won’t be an issue. Like I said, I took care of her.” The boy grinned. “When do I get to see you, blondie?”

The voice on the other end of the device was impossible to hear, but he could tell it wasn’t what the boy had wanted to hear. He continued to head away onto the next road, Caster and Prototype at his heels as Archer motioned him towards the ground.

“We need to look in the house now,” Archer murmured.

“No, we should follow-“

“Caster and Prototype are following.” Archer headed closer to the house. “We need information. The boy will only say so much. Like he said, he’s off to get supplies. We won’t learn about who is running things by following him. That leaves information in the house.”

“Fine.”

Each movement was careful, with Lancer pressing a rune to the earth. It zigzagged across the grounds, up to the front door without preamble.

“Clear.”

Archer sprinted ahead, kneeling on one foot. His fingers pulled out an object from his pocket, beginning to work on the lock on the front of the house.

Lancer moved slowly to get to his side, watching the area for any signs of movement or sound. If they were caught, it could be by someone capable of a fight. A servant fight here on foreign territory would mean a disadvantage. They didn’t have Caster around to protect them from magecraft or Proto around to leap into the fray ahead of them.

“Open,” Archer confirmed, turning the knob and pushing the door open lightly.

The house was different from Rin’s home. Colder, if possible.

Unlike Rin’s home, there were no feminine touches. Nothing in the house was personal or held any insight to the owners of the place.

In fact, looking closer, it felt almost empty.

“Lancer.”

“What is it?”

Archer motioned to a door nearby. “There’s something moving behind that door.”

“We should retreat to the upstairs, investigate and work our way down.”

“It doesn’t sound human.”

“What do you mean?”

Archer shook his head, materializing a pale brown cape around himself before he pressed against the wall by the door. His hand tried the knob a moment.

“Is it locked?”

“Give me a minute. Check the rest of the floor.”

“You have five minutes,” he replied, moving further into the house.

Everything was cold. The air, the feel of the rooms, the paintings. If you could call them paintings. The ones around Rin’s home had been warm paintings, filled with victories in war, people performing various activities like magecraft or performances. In this house, the paintings were filled with bugs and blood.

Some of the paintings were nothing more than splotches of red, the markers on them simply stating a date and time.

There was nothing in the drawers in each room. He used Gae Bolg to move anything, wrapping his hand in a cloth to turn knobs. Anything or everything could be prepared for uninvited guests. Anything could be set up to inform the owner that someone had been in the house.

The kitchen was too clean.

It was the only room he didn’t look deeply into.

He didn’t need to look that deeply in the room. The air itself was stale, the doors boarded up as something moved in the drawers and cabinets. Despite taking a step into the room, he paused, listening.

Crawling, clawing sounds came from the cabinetry. As much as it seemed tempting to investigate, nothing and no one had been in this room. The sounds from the cabinets were something that had been in there for a while. Surviving, moving…

Turning back, Lancer found Archer holding onto the door, hand over his mouth as he leaned heavily against the wall.

“Archer, what is it?”

“I found the source of the noise.”

“And?”

Archer released the doorknob, motioning at it lightly.

“Damn man, you could just-“

“There aren’t words for what happened to the girl, Lancer.”

As the doorknob turned, his attention going to the stairwell leading downwards, Lancer found himself covering his mouth with one arm. His eyes drifted over the dimly lit lower level.

A pair of eyes stared soullessly up at them, a body lay in shambles, broken as-

“Bugs,” Archer murmured, standing by him as he gazed down at the woman who had attacked their master. “There’s hundreds of them. They were taking the last of her mana as I got the door open. I barely stepped in when she stopped moving.”

“Burning the house-“

“Would have spared her this,” Archer finished, “but I think she’s been in here before. Her hair was not white before.”

Lancer shut the door as the bugs began to climb the stairs. “Lock it, Archer.”

“We should burn them.”

“Burning this room would just let the kid know we’ve been here. There’s nothing we can do at this point. Lock this damn door and let’s get out of here. We’ll find information some other way.”

Archer nodded, moving once more onto one knee to begin the process. In a matter of seconds, the door was locked again and they moved quietly towards the front door.

“I heard that same sound in the kitchen,” Lancer murmured quietly. “I think they’re getting into other rooms in the house.”

“Most likely.”

They moved quickly across the yard again, pausing as they reached the edge of the property. Lancer’s body pressed against one of the pillars. “Do you think there’s anything we need to look at before we leave?”

“Not unless we want to die.” Archer glanced around the corner. “Let’s leave now while we still can.”

Lancer looked back at the house, biting his lip lightly.

Rin would never get to know her sister.

Out of all of this, there would never be the opportunity for Rin to get any kind of revenge or answers. At the end of it all, the only thing that would occur was loss.

“Lancer?”

“Which room was the girl’s?”

“Did we not just agree to-“

“I need to look for something.” Lancer looked over at the man. “Which room was it? Just point out the window.”

Archer groaned, itching his head before he motioned at a window to the far left. “That one there. I didn’t see anything of use from the position I was in. It’s a poor plan to go back in there after we’ve established that the bugs-“

“I’ll be just a minute.”

He had to look.

Just for a moment. Then they would leave the premises and he would climb back into bed with Rin. Climbing up the side of the building, Lancer held onto the vegetation, using Gae Bolg to pry the window open.

The room he found was dark, closed off from most light as he looked around. What little light came from the window was privy to the same kind of paintings and dark furniture he had seen downstairs.

He went to work immediately, looking through drawers, lifting up the frame of the bed and mattress. He clicked on a lamp, shuffling through clothes and other things in search of anything. Anything at all that would be of value.

He stopped, pulling out a photo from the bottom of a drawer.

It was poorly kept, burnt where the man in the photo had been. But there was no getting around the fact that it was a picture of Rin and the girl. He folded it carefully, holding it in one hand as he fixed the appearance of the room and flicked off the lights. As he approached the window, he heard something outside.

Footsteps.

He shifted to the curtains, listening to the sound of someone walking up the front yard, making their way to the door.

Archer’s white hair was barely visible from a roof across the road. Lancer motioned at him a moment before he moved deeper into the house. He would have to find another exit. The window was no longer an option, not when it meant going over vegetation growing over windows.

He eased the door open, entering the main portion of the house once again. His eyes remained on the lower floor visible from the stairs.

“Sakura,” Shinji purred, walking into the house and setting down the bags in his hands. “Sakura, how is the trip to the-“ He paused as he unlocked and opened the door. His cackle was unmistakable. “Oh, it seems your little friends finally tired of you as well. Such a shame.”

Lancer moved quickly, descending the stairs as the boy spoke to the woman’s corpse.

“I know you were worried about how close Tohsaka was getting to Emiya Shirou, but don’t worry about that. She’ll be out of the way soon.” The boy grinned more, his voice giddy as he went on. “You see, Tohsaka is going to be joining you in here once I have her circuits. Our good friend is going to help see to that.”

A phone began to ring by the doorway, freezing his heart as Lancer kept still. He pressed his body against the wall, looking across the room he was in.

“Ah, that would be her.” Shinji exclaimed. He picked up the phone, shutting and locking the door again as he answered. “There you are. I was wondering when you would call back. You were so mad over Sakura’s failure… Yes, I got the supplies you asked about.”

The boy moved down the hallway and Lancer materialized Gae Bolg again, prying at the window to open.

“Huh?” The boy’s voice was louder. “Hold on. I think I heard something.”

Lancer slipped under the windowsill, climbing into the bushes a moment before he slid the sill down. Despite that, he still lay flat against the ground, overly sensitive as he felt the wind blow softly. He didn’t dare move for a bit, listening as the muffled sound of footsteps came from the room above.

“Lancer!”

Caster’s voice barely reached him, a rune moving his way.

He followed, immediately, on his hands and knees.

Once off the property, Lancer pressed against a nearby wall and took a deep breath.

“Damn idiot.”

Lancer held up the photograph he had found. “Am I?”

Archer smacked him, the look of pure stunned outrage apparent on his face. “You’re worse than I could have ever imagined. You went back for that? Rin no doubt owns that picture or something similar. There’s no purpose in obtaining that at the cost of almost being caught. And why didn’t you climb back out the window? The kid will no doubt notice the window is open and assume the worst.”

“It’s fine.”

The man just growled, turning and heading away from them. “You’re an idiot. Let’s get back to Rin before she finds us all gone.”

They moved as a pack, drifting from rooftop to rooftop. Caster and Prototype spoke to each of them one at a time, explaining what they had overheard.

“It wasn’t much,” Prototype told them. “The woman wanted materials that didn’t make any sense to the kid. He had ordered ahead though, so we don’t know what materials they were. We just know he bought them at a handful of places. Some of the stuff he has at the house too.”

“Not in the kitchen,” Lancer countered. “Whatever it is, it’s stuff he keeps in another room. There’s a bug infestation through a good portion of that house. The kitchen has been closed off because of it and the girl we saw before is dead.”

“We need to think this through,” Proto replied. “If the girl is dead, then that kid and whoever is on the other end of that phone needs to be found.”

“We need to burn those bugs.” Caster looked back towards the area they had just come. “I could feel them when I sent my runes onto that land. Unnatural beasts like that need to be burned and killed before they multiply further. If our master were to fall into them…”

He didn’t need to finish that sentence.

They could all imagine what would happen. Somehow, picturing Rin’s body decomposing like the girl’s body had been before, reaching for a help that would never come- Lancer felt himself pale. He clenched his fists, taking another breath to center himself.

“We can burn them once we take care of Shinji,” Archer replied. “Killing them before that would mean letting the kid have the chance to run and find a new place to hide. It’s best to burn all pests together.”

Lancer turned his gaze forward, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves as they approached the Tohsaka residence. As they entered the grounds, Caster began to work his magic, weaving another barrier around the house to block the outside world from reaching them.

Prototype headed for the kitchen, claiming a need for a beer and smoke.

“I’m going to look at what’s been accomplished downstairs with the samples,” Archer told him, heading in the direction of the basement.

Rather than answering him, Lancer simply mounted the stairs. He showered, letting the water run until it went cold against his back. His gaze unfocused, he thought carefully.

Somehow, it felt like death was clinging too tightly around them this evening. It was like some of that coldness from the Matou household had followed them and no matter how much he scrubbed and clawed at his skin and hair, the bone chilling feeling wouldn’t leave.

Lancer moved into Rin’s room, finding Berserker and the woman right where he had left them. At the sight of him, the small servant climbed off the bed, scuttling to the doorway and into the hall.

Rin turned, opening her eyes sleepily.

“Lancer?”

“I’m right here,” he told her, shutting the door.

Rin sat up lightly, her body pressing against his as he climbed into bed. Her gaze flickered up to his as he wrapped his arms around her.

“What happened?”

“Nothing you want to hear about right now, Rin.”

She looked up at him with those eyes and Lancer cursed, holding her closer to himself. Her fingers clawed at his arms.

“Lancer-“

“Let me feel you alive and whole in my arms for a minute, Rin. We had to see something tonight that no one should look at.”

Her hands moved to his face, a slight warmth to her cheeks as she nodded. Without words, her legs wrapped around his waist and she kissed him. Those fingers moved through his hair, mimicking the kind of attentions he had given her downstairs.

Oh, but he kissed her back, desperate for a cleansing of the mind and soul. He had left her alone with Berserker while he had gone with Caster for the hunt. With the unknown enemy outside in the world, it didn’t feel like enough to leave the woman alone. Capable as she was, she still couldn’t fight like he needed her to fight.

Rin pulled away from his lips, her fingers going behind her back before she slipped her bra off. Her skirt followed suit before her arms held him tighter to her. She pressed his hands to her chest, her hands holding him before he felt her mana.

She pushed it into him, flooding his system and thoughts with nothing else but pure ecstasy. He couldn’t think around the blinding light that was her power. He didn’t want to. The balm of the feeling of her mana washed away all the horrors and possible worse case scenarios. Her lips confirmed where he was and who he was with.

Her name escaped his lips like a prayer, her body his salvation.

His hands moved, kneading and cradling her breasts. His mouth moved against hers once… twice…

There was nowhere and nothing that he wanted more than the woman in his arms. There were no limits he wouldn’t be willing to take to ensure her survival and continued success.

“Cu Chulainn,” she breathed, the sound of her celestial voice going a step further in pushing out the darkness from his mind.

He invaded her body like the sacrilegious spirit that he was, filling and pounding into her until there was no doubt in his mind that the inner walls of her body were focused on welcoming only him. When she climaxed, he listened to his true name escape her lips again.

She said it so reverently.

Lancer came violently, holding the sheets around them as he shoved himself as far into her body as possible. He came with her name ripped from his body, making those eyes close in appreciation.

She held his body to her, letting him collapse weakly as the climax faded.

Those hands of hers drifted through his hair once again. Her breasts were against his cheek, letting him enjoy their warmth as she took in his presence at her side.

“Cu Chulainn…” She tilted his head up to look at hers, cupping his face with one hand. That blush was in place deeply as she avoided eye contact. “I don’t know what happened, but if you need a moment to breathe again, please rely on me. I can do whatever is necessary to help ease the pain away.”

He snorted, leaning up to her lips again to kiss her.

“Damn it, woman. Don’t say shit like that so lightly. I should be saying that to you. I have nothing of value here except for you.”

“If you have nothing of value, then what bothered you?”

Always with the questions with her. She was always planning, always thinking. Looking down at her smooth, pale face and her bright blue eyes, Lancer found himself pulling her closer. His lips pressed against hers again.

“Tell me what you told me yesterday morning, Rin.”

Her blush deepened at the demand, her body pressing against him without thought. “W-why?”

“I need to hear it.”

Without a doubt, he needed to hear it.

“I-it’s not something you need to hear-“

“Rin…” He rolled their bodies over, pinning her to the bed. His hands moved to her chest before going lower. As she shut her eyes to take in the feeling of his touch, he leaned in close, murmuring in her ear once again. “I just need to hear it one more time.”

One more time before she would be upset. The death of her sister would go down like a bitter potion, leaving her to hate them for not reaching her in time. It was irreversible, disappointing in that the woman had been commanded to start the fire. She had just been a pawn, a pawn with value in a war with no winners in sight.

Those ever-observant eyes opened once more, gazing up at him. The only skies he wanted to look upon deep blue before his very face, showing the depths of her emotion. Her hands went to his face again, a loving touch that only made what was to come that much more a bitter.

“I don’t know what happened, Cu Chulainn, but you’ll hear it much more than once.” She smiled at him, a bold and proud smile that could have torn apart countries and clans. “I’m a powerful mage descended from a long line of mages. There’s nothing that I’m not capable of doing, especially with you all with me. So whatever’s wrong, it’ll be fine. You have Caster and the others watching the house, right?”

“I do.”

“And the house and perimeter are safe, right?”

“They are.”

“Then you’re worried about nothing,” Rin told him. Her lips pressed against his again. “I love you.”

“Again, Rin.”

Her face was burning, her body trying to hide by pressing up against his. Her voice shook a little as she spoke up. “I-I love you.”

Good.

He moved his lips against hers, rolling them back over so she could lay on his chest. He brushed back her hair and watched her tremble, still trying to come to terms with the idea of being openly reliant and emotional with someone else.

“Gods, woman.” He breathed, watching her straddling him in the moonlight. “If you had any idea how much of a damn goddess you are…”

“As if that’s any way to respond to what I said,” she huffed.

“My feelings don’t need words, woman.” He stretched his arms out wide, presenting himself under her in a manner that would welcome any attack, any form of violence. “I speak with my body and my actions. If you want to know what I feel, look no further than that. My lance and my body are yours to do with as you like.”

“I don’t need your lance or your body.”

He had to laugh at the sullen look, humming a little. “I suppose that’s true. You do have Caster, Proto, Berserker, and that Red Archer. Makes having one servant a bit pointless-“

She smacked his chest. “I was meaning- I just want your heart, dumbass!”

He chuckled, pulling her down and kissing her again.

“Cu-“

“You have the strangest requests, woman,” he replied simply against her lips, “but I suppose that’s yours as well. You stole it from me the moment you leaped from the roof of your damn school the night we met. You were just too damn confident. I didn’t stand a chance.”

She echoed her words from before, her hands holding him tighter.

And again, clinging to him with her face as red as Gae Bolg.

And again, as Lancer let sleep finally claim him.

And again, just as the world went to black.


	22. Chapter 22

Rin woke up once again with her body wrapped around Lancer’s.

But this time, Archer was behind her. His body was being held by Caster as he slept, his arms holding tightly as they all lay there. “Morning, Rin.” 

Looking over towards the edge of the bed, Rin smiled faintly, enjoying the collection of servants around her. “Morning, Prototype. What brought everyone in here?”

“Last night,” the man replied easily, stretching his legs a little as Berserker chortled on his shoulder. “Have they spoken to you about what happened?”

“No, not yet. I plan to get filled in before breakfast.”

“I would make it afterwards,” Proto countered. “Whatever happened, it bothered Archer badly enough that he couldn’t sleep in another room last night. He tossed and turned until he could be in here. Caster tried to help him with magic, but… Well, it clearly wouldn’t work.” It must have been something graphic then. Something that was beyond just a death. Rin looked over her shoulder at Archer once again before she turned to Prototype. 

“Did they tell you anything about it?”

“I don’t think they could talk about to each other,” the man replied easily, yawning. “Caster and I followed after Shinji Matou while Archer and Lancer went to find out what Shinji had done to Sakura Matou. When we got back, Archer was foaming at the mouth and Lancer was trying to slip out of the Matou residence without being caught.”

“What happened to-“ Rin paused, feeling Archer’s arms wrap around her tightly. His face pressed against her back as Caster moved to sit up. The man yawned loudly before wiping at his eyes. 

“Damn, you guys talk loudly. Some of us had a late night, ya know?”

“What happened last night?”

Caster shook his head, stretching slightly before he began to climb off the monstrously sized bed. “Nothin’ that’s worth talking about in bed. It’s damn depressing.”

“Caster-“

Lancer’s arms held onto her tighter, leaving her trapped between the two bodies. All she could do was huff at them, trapped. 

“You’ll find out soon enough, Rin.” Caster pulled Berserker away from Prototype, grinning at the growling beast. “Enjoy the ignorance while you have it. It took me a few hours to get it out of Archer and, when I found out, I’d wished I hadn’t.” 

Rin nodded, relaxing a little as she gave up for the moment. The two servants weren’t going to let go that easily, which meant she was just going to have to enjoy a bit more rest.

“Is there any reason Archer is naked?”

Caster glanced over at her as he and Prototype headed for the door. He just grinned in response. “Is there a problem with nudity in your bedroom now? Lancer looked comfortable. I’m sure Archer just figured you preferred men to be naked in your bed if they joined you. Personally, I agree with the requirement. If he bothers you too much, just wrap a hand around his dick and give a couple good long strokes. He doesn’t last long.”

She could feel Archer’s hold tighten as Lancer’s body shook lightly. The two men left only for Lancer to open one eye and look over her person. 

“Trouble in the bedroom, eh Red?”

“Your doppelgangers are incredibly skilled with their hands and a lance. It brings to question exactly where your interests lie, Lancer,” Archer replied heatedly. 

“If you’re both up, let me up.” Rin glared at them both, crossing her arms as best she could. “I could use the restroom and get something to eat while you both argue.”

“Sorry, master,” Lancer purred, his lips pressing against her shoulder. “Couldn’t help myself. Hearing about Red having bedroom problems was too good to resist. Being as skilled as he is with his weapons, it felt good to cut him down to size.”

Archer groaned, rolling away and standing up. “Pathetic as usual, Lancer. I’ll go get something started in the kitchen while you use the restroom, Rin.” The man hovered by the bed a moment, hesitating before he leaned in and kissed her lightly. “Thank you for allowing me to stay in here with you last night.”

Rin blinked. 

It wasn’t as though she had welcomed him in and pat the bed, but she certainly hadn’t hated the feeling of waking up between them all. She held her lips as Lancer groaned. 

“Damn bastard. You snuck your way in and you’re stealing attention.”

Archer materialized the clothes onto himself, moving towards the door with a look of pure indifference on his face. Well, almost pure indifference. The small smile on his lips made it obvious that he knew exactly how much he had pissed Lancer off with that move. “You hoard away our master like a guilty snack, Lancer. If I don’t see you both downstairs in ten minutes, I will assume you’re doing nefarious things with her again.” 

Lancer just snickered at him, his arms wrapping around her a moment before the man was materializing a horrid green Hawaiian shirt onto her shoulders. “I can’t guarantee what our master plans with my time. Ten minutes, ten hours: they all blend together in the end.”  
  
“Five minutes and then I’m chaining you up in the backyard like the mutt you are,” Archer threatened, closing the door behind himself. The door shut, leaving the man to lean against her back and kiss her neck.

“What do you think, Rin? Think we can manage in five minutes?”

She smacked him, right upside the head. “We’re not going to do it with everyone awake and getting breakfast around! They might walk in on us!”

“I don’t see the problem yet.”

“They’ll see us naked and- and just-“ she spluttered, trying not to imagine the mental image. Archer would be the most judgmental, crossing his arms and making some kind of remark about it. Either the position or something about one of them that would send her heart passed that point of no return. She’d die. 

Prototype and Caster- Oh they’d be worse, climbing on and complaining that they needed to have some kind of harem thing going on. She could already imagine how useless she’d be after getting through with them. Walking? Impossible. Speech?

God, would she ever be able to talk again? Would she want to? 

“So much embarrassment already,” Lancer murmured, his scruff tickling at her neck as he kissed her. “It wouldn’t be that bad. You know they’d at least join in. Even Red would, although we’ll just keep that as a last case scenario… only if he’s that low on mana.”

“You’re not funny.” She pulled away, standing up. “What about training me to use a lance and finding out more about whether or not Sakura started the fire? There’s things we need to do.”

Had the mood been tangible, it would have slipped through her fingers like sand. The man’s gaze unfocused, his attention going elsewhere.

“…Lancer?”

“We should get up.” He moved carefully from the bed, beginning to materialize armor when she stopped him. 

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re right. We need to train. There’s a lot that we have to talk about after breakfast too.”

“Lancer, don’t give me that. What’s wrong?” 

He pressed his lips to her forehead and she leaped on him, wrapping herself around him tight as he made to walk away. Clinging to him, she just growled. 

“Don’t give me that! I could command you to tell me!”

“Rin, let’s have breakfast first.”

“I need to know now, Lancer!”

“It’s not something to hear on an empty stomach. Let’s have breakfast and do stupid things for a little longer.” 

“Lancer!”

“Let me enjoy your happiness a little longer.”

“NOW, LANCER!” 

“Sakura’s dead!” 

He shouted it, earning a crashing sound from downstairs. Archer’s curses could be heard, but she wasn’t sure what the man said. Her hands loosened immediately on Lancer’s person, barely being caught as she fell. Her eyes stared off into the distance.

“No…”

“Rin-“

“That’s impossible. You wouldn’t have-“

“It wasn’t us,” Lancer replied hurriedly. “We wouldn’t have, not when we know how you feel on the matter.”

“How-“

“There were bugs. Lots of them. They were eating away at her and her mana when we found her. She was already not moving- Fuck, Rin.” “You’re a damn dumbass, Lancer,” Archer snarled, storming down the hallway. Rin had to hold up a hand to stop the man from picking her up and tossing her back in her room. Whatever it was with them thinking sleep could resolve all problems, she was tired of it. 

She should have chased after the woman. She should have been there to help her heal and get away from the insects. Looking over at Lancer, Rin covered her mouth, holding back the waterworks that threatened to come out. 

“Does her brother know?”

“Shinji was behind it,” Archer replied, hovering closeby. He crossed his arms after a moment. “He has someone who ordered you to be killed. He sent Sakura to do the dirty work.”

“I see.”

“Rin-“

She had to pull herself together. Enough of this. Lancer had ripped open the emotions and feelings she had held in for so long, but she needed to be a Tohsaka. Confident. Elegant. Composed. 

Taking a deep breath and pumping herself up, Rin nodded, looking between the two men. 

“Sakura is gone which means we need to find whoever ordered the kill and we need to keep an eye on Shinji. Since he killed Sakura in their house, the police can find out and take care of him properly. He lacks the capabilities of a mage and won’t be able to fight back when they arrest him. That makes things simpler.”

“Rin-“

“It’s fine, Lancer.” Rin looked over at him, buttoning up the shirt she was wearing and turning around. “I’m going to get dressed. Once we’re done with breakfast, we can begin training again. I want to fight against you today, Lancer. I’d rather see how your technique has developed compared to Prototype.”

“Right…”

“Archer.”

“Yes?”

“Shinji’s house should be watched carefully. Once you’re done with making breakfast, I would like for you to take one of the other two servants and set yourselves up around the house. We’ve been watching from the safety of our own home for long enough. It’s time to be more offensive in our plans.”

“I’ll head over there shortly,” Archer replied.

The two men moved off, heading down the stairs without a word.

She was left to stand in the hallway, just in the doorway to the bedroom. Even standing there, knowing what needed to be done and what needed to be focused on, there was little else on the mind other than Sakura. Her sister hadn’t deserved death. Even if she had started the fire and tried to kill her again…

They had been sisters. Sisters by blood who had been torn apart by a foolish decision on her father’s part. 

And she would never know why her sister had agreed to harm her. She would never understand what could bring the woman to hurt her, especially considering she wore the ribbon she had made her and spoke about her fondly to the archery team at school. 

There had still been a bond of sisterhood between them.

There had been mutual love between them.

Burying her face against Lancer’s ugly shirt, she breathed in his scent. Ever calm, ever teasing- his smell was a balm she hadn’t known she would rely on. She walked into the other room, looking around a moment at the room.

Both she and Sakura had changed. They had evolved from the simple childhood they had enjoyed together. While Sakura had gone to the Matous and done God only knew what with them, she had been here. She had trained under her father and Kirei. She had pushed herself in her studies until betrayal and welcomed the idea of allies and relationships into her life.

And then, when she had found herself without a direction, life had pulled her back to her original love for magecraft. Magecraft had given her the servants she had missed. Missed in one form or another. Archer’s cooking and rude remarks, Lancer’s teasing and push for her to be more powerful- 

Sakura had been gone. 

She had been gone for a long time. 

Still, she could mourn the loss of what had been. She could mourn the memories for being incapable of coming back. There would be no reunions, no second chances. 

Once again, someone had ripped them further apart. Someone had made it impossible once again for her to see her sister. 

Taking her time, Rin changed out the shirt she had on for her own clothing. She took the time to wipe away the signs of tearstains and fatigue. She tied her hair back this time, opting to have it out of her face. 

When the day was over and done, she would knock Lancer on his ass. 

That would be the goal, knock down the man who was renowned for his lance capabilities. In lieu of that, she would accept him falling to a knee. If she had to use magecraft to help get him there, then so be it. 

But she would get him knocked back, if only to show that she was back to full power. She was back in the right mindset and thinking, strategizing. Once she was at a good point with him, her attention and focus would go into learning archery from Archer. 

It would be better for her to know these things. The better she understood their ways of fighting, the better she would be able to plan and prepare for war. 

Caster looked up from the text he was reading, grinning at her as she marched into the kitchen. “Someone’s ready to kill someone.”

Archer smacked him, setting a plate on the table. “I’m about to head out for the day, Rin.”

“That’s fine. Thank you.” 

The man nodded, setting the teapot down on the table next after pouring a healthy cup of tea. “Speaking as someone with experience using a handful of weapons, let me warn you that emotions are not your friend when fighting. The more upset you are, the more unfocused you become, Rin. It might feel like you would be stronger and be able to release the pent up frustration, but-“

“I already am aware.” Rin settled into the seat, sipping at the tea lightly. She motioned him off with a wave of the hand. “I’ll be fine. My emotions are well under control. I’m a Tohsaka. We’re experts in composing ourselves with strength and dignity, even in the most difficult of times.”

The man motioned to Caster. Heading out of the room after a moment as Caster replaced his bookmark and sighed. 

“I think he’s infatuated, the poor bastard.” Caster looked over at her. “I’m planning to take Berserker with me today. He’s been itching to get outside and he’s been very attached to me… like someone else I know.”

“I don’t need to hear what mistakes you’re making,” Lancer told him, mouth full of food.

“Don’t speak with your mouth full, idiot.” 

Lancer went to speak only for Prototype to begin arguing with Archer in the other room. The sound of movement and tearing began, earning a frown as Rin looked in the direction of the front room.

“Prototype has been getting on his nerves for a while,” Caster told her simply, hurrying to set his book down and head towards the door. “About what?”

“Archer’s not very in touch with initiating things. It’s been pissing the kid off.” Caster winked at her a moment before slipping out of the room.

Lancer shook his head. “Sounds familiar.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The man grinned, leaning back as he finished the last of his food. “I’m just noting that there’s a handful of similarities between our Archer friend and… well…” 

“I hope you’re ready, Lancer. I plan to make you regret the decision to train me.” She sipped at the last of the tea and grinned at him. “I’ll enjoy your apologies when we’re through.”


	23. Chapter 23

Her body slammed violently against the ground as they fell apart, blades spinning out of the way as they stared one another down.

Their original poles had broken, cast aside for Gae Bolg and a false lance for Rin. With the new weapons in hand, Rin had begun opening mana circuits, welcoming the extra boost of energy. Her attentions had changed, determination far greater than what she had held with Prototype the other day. 

They lunged again, this time, Rin’s body darted at the last moment when her lance hit the dirt. Her body launched his way, nearly catching him by the stomach before he moved his lance in time. Her shirt tore, body landing away from her weapon. 

The button up shirt hung open, the ground scattered with the little buttons and bits of fabric. 

“Not bad.” Lancer stood up, brushing himself off. “Better technique so far, but you let go of your weapon.” 

“I almost hit you.” 

“Doesn’t matter.” 

“You barely got by me.” 

“Barely is still alive.” He pulled her weapon out of the ground, handing it over to her as she tied her shirt in a loose knot in front of her. The small swell of her breasts were still visible. “You would have been defenseless and I would still be alive to attack. You’re supposed to be figuring out how to accommodate for muscle differences, not planning final blows.” 

She nodded, spinning the lance around and motioning at him again. “Let’s do it again.” 

They moved apart again, Lancer’s eyes darting over her moves this time. Once again, she was preparing for a lunge. Her feet dug into the dirt, her legs bent. Like a thousand other fighters he had seen, she read like an open book. 

The lunge was useless, earning him the chance to slice the back of the shirt she was wearing. She tossed it aside and lunged again. 

He pressed his mouth to her back, earning a squawk from the woman. 

“Lancer!” 

“You’re obvious. Stop being obvious.” He leaped back at her swing, flipping onto the porch railing. 

Her breathing was coming in harder as she grew more upset. Each swing grew more impatient, more hectic. She swung a leg out, but he tossed her. A light toss, but she ended up in the mud, coughing as she looked up at him. 

“You’ve stopped taking this seriously.” 

“Like hell I have.” 

“It’s fine. Archery might be more suitable for you.” 

She rushed him, taking the low ground this time. He pressed a hand to her back and went over her, enjoying the feeling of her hair brushing up against him. Rin’s body landed against the patio. 

“Obvious again. Think, Rin.” 

“You told me not to think!” 

“You think too much.” 

Rin tossed the lance his way and huffed. 

“Break time,” he told her, pulling the weapon up into his hands and moving forward. The two weapons were set nearby as he crouched over her, surveying the damage. 

She wasn’t in terrible condition. Aside from a few scratches and rough palms, she was fine. Her mood was soured though, her glare as fierce as ever. “How-“

“You’re focusing too much on the fight.” Lancer brushed her bangs back, grinning. “I see everything. Your feet digging into the ground, your chest puffing up as you prepare to hold your breath and hit me, your crouching down. You’re too tense.” 

“You tense.” 

“If I do, it’s a mistake.” Lancer settled down next to her, kicking at her feet lightly as he relaxed. “You’re thinking with the wrong mentality. The lance isn’t just some weapon, it’s a part of you. You want to use it to your advantage. Your body needs to be loose, ready to get out of the way in case your opponent decides to leap from their weapon and try to kick you.” 

Rin nodded, thinking once again. He could almost see the inner workings, the plotting for how to take him down. 

“Do you want to go through technique again?” 

“I probably should,” she relented. 

“We can go back to keeping it simple. You definitely have enough energy for it. Your body is flexible enough for it as well.” 

“How should I have handled that last attack, where I let go of my weapon.” 

So eager to knock him down. He wasn’t sure if he should be chastising her or commending her on keeping to the process. Leaning against her a little more, Lancer simply grinned. “I have no idea. I would have responded to anything you did.” 

The smack he earned only made him laugh, yanking off his upper armor and standing back up. 

“Come on, Rin. Let’s go about this again.” 

She climbed back to her feet slowly. This time around, as her hands wrapped around the lance and she took position, he found her back to where she had been with Prototype. Her concentration was back on form and remaining light on her feet. 

Good intentions, but he swept her off her feet. 

Again. 

And again. 

And he caught her the following time, stealing a kiss from her before she could react. 

And once more, he caught her as she was about to fall, running a hand along her back. 

The anger returned from that moment on. Her mana circuits becoming visible as she began to put more effort into just hitting him. 

He followed her movements, left, right, left. The lances clashed loudly. Rin’s glare turned deathly as she put more feeling into it. 

There was only anger and focus with her. She needed to calm down and think about things carefully. Gods, he needed his mentor here for this. Scathach would have probably come up with some kind of method for training the woman…

Or not, he thought as he struck her back with a strong counter attack. Scathach would probably toss her in a pit for a few days to try to survive with boars and snakes until she learned to focus on killing any enemies that appeared. 

“Rin!” 

Lancer caught her weapon, moving in close to talk to her. 

“I was getting there!” 

“You weren’t. You’re so far off with form and technique that I should be giving you a sword to chop down weeds.” 

The smack that came was, once again, very much deserved. 

“I have an idea.” 

Rin crossed her arms, covered in mud and dirt. “What is it?” 

“Do you trust me?” 

The question just made her frown further. 

“You have to answer the question.” 

“Yes, I trust you. What is this idea of yours?” 

He moved immediately behind her, wrapping his hands around hers on the lance. “We’re going to move slowly and go through the motions while skin to skin.” 

“Lan-“

“Hold on. You are focusing too much on wanting to chop me down when you attack me. I want you to feel what my body does when we go through the motions. Each movement. Memorize how each part of my body responds when taking the different stances. Maybe if you mimic that, you’ll be able to improve better.” 

A moment of silence, her body tense as she debated what it meant. Then- “Fine, but we’re doing this to improve my capabilities.” 

They moved carefully, Rin’s body taking the stances as best she could with him behind her. Her hands would let go of the lance from time to time, moving along his chest and arms to feel how he was holding the weapon and preparing for a lunge. His mind went immediately blank as her hands felt his legs, frowning. 

“It feels like you’re barely trying.” 

“Lancework is about letting the length of your weapon do the work sometimes. You don’t have to be the strongest, just the most flexible. It’s a long weapon, Rin. You have to know how to work that to your advantage.” 

Rin bit her lip at that, eyes glinting as she focused back on his stance. Her hands wrapped around the lance once again and he couldn’t help himself. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the skin just above her neck, right by her ear. 

“Is something funny, Rin?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Are you sure about that? I could have sworn I saw you laughing at the idea of a nice long lance needing to be used properly.” 

Her lips were twitching, her body pressing against his a little as though she could hide against him. But she kept her eyes focused on the lance, refusing to make eye contact. “I-I don’t see the humor in it. No doubt one of those things that only you find funny.” 

“You know,” he leaned a little closer, “the thing about lances is that you have to continue to train with them. A neglected lance is no better than the poles we broke earlier. You have to keep a good grip on them and make sure to-“

“Stop! Stop!” Rin balked, her hands releasing the weapon so she could press her face against his chest. “You have to stop. I can’t concentrate with you saying that kind of thing.” 

It was too damn fun to tease her. He hauled her up, heading inside. 

“Lancer!” 

“We’re done. Your hands are bleeding slightly and you’re covered in dirt. We can pick this up tomorrow.” 

“We were practicing stances!” 

“Yeah, but now I’m hard and you’re being damn cute.” He locked the door behind them, heading up towards the bathroom. “We’ll shower and work on stances inside. You’ve got some space in the living room.” 

“I can’t fight you inside the house! We went over this! You’ll destroy the furniture!” She squirmed on his shoulder more, earning a nice slap to the rear. “DID YOU JUST HIT ME?!” 

He was a little surprised himself. He hadn’t really expected to enjoy that. Her behind was rounder and much plumper than he had given it credit for being. His gaze flickered to the pleated skirts, mind running over the chances of surviving an attack for smacking it again. 

Rin had gone still. Her hands balled into fists against his back. 

There was death awaiting him for sure if he didn’t say something smooth in the next few seconds. 

“Would you believe me if I said there had been a bug on your ass?” 

A mistake if anything, Rin pushed against his shoulder, falling backwards until she had her hands and head towards the floor and her legs in his arms. The skirt rode up her body, leaving him with a marvelous view of her thighs. 

“LANCER!” 

“Hold on, sheesh.” He made her walk on her hands to the bathroom, enjoying himself immensely until he had to let go. Her body curled up on the floor as she crouched in front of him, eyes blazing retribution. 

“I-“

“To be fair, I did get you to stop squirming for a minute.” He leaned against the wall and just watched her. “I won’t apologize for enjoying what views are presented to me though. You’ve always had very nice legs.” 

She just looked at him for a moment before deflating. One hand wiped at her face before she grimaced, her hands reaching over to the tub to turn on the water. 

“Rin-“

“Strip.” 

The command was simple, logical, but it made his entire body freeze up. All he could do was stand there and blink like an idiot as she began to pour bath salts into the water and tempt him with the visual of her skirts wrinkled and showing off those thighs of hers. 

“You want me to strip?” 

He had to be certain, ensure it wasn’t his mind just going on the fritz finally from sparing with opponents and dying. All the woman did was look over at him, straightening only to pull her hair loose of the ribbon holding it in place. That sweet face of hers just motioned at his lower body. 

“Do you need me to command you into doing it? Strip, Lancer. If we’re going to bathe, we might as well do it together now before Caster and Prototype use up the water.” 

He was naked before she had finished her explanation, moving to haul her up into his arms again and climb in. Ignoring the heat, he yanked the skirts off and watched her tug her socks as he began to slip beneath the water. A wet pair of underwear soon followed in the path of her skirt, her body pressing up against his. 

He ran his hands over her palms, brushing at the filth and shaking his head at her. 

“Tempted to toss you in my mentor’s armor again.” 

“I feel like gloves won’t help with holding my lance.” 

His mouth went to her neck, earning a slight jump from the woman before she spun around, pushing him towards the water. 

“Hold on. You got as muddied up as I did. We are just here to clean ourselves up.” 

Fighting words if he had ever heard any. Lancer wrapped his arms around her, lifting that pert ass up out of the water before she could get anywhere. Trying to set her outside the tub, he found them crashing under the water, Rin’s hands having found his sides. 

As he coughed up water, those eyes stared at him in amazement, her head barely above the water. 

“You’re ticklish.” 

“What was your first clue,” he coughed a little more, watching the woman move closer. 

Her gaze just went darker, mischief written deep in those eyes a moment before they were back under the water. He pinned her arms to her sides, but she slipped through his grasp, her feet coming into play as she found the backs of his knees. 

Back under the water again. He came up only to pin her legs to the bottom of the tub. Her hands found his underarms, moving brutally. His lips pressed against hers, but it was useless to try. She just laughed against him, beaming like she had found the damn secrets to fighting. 

Back under the water. 

He couldn’t see for all the hair drifting around their faces. Cursing the size of the tub and the damn ticklish nature of his, Lancer pushed himself against her, holding her hands in one of his. His legs pinned hers down as he came up out of the water. 

Her face was plastered with stray hairs, forcing him to take a moment to brush them aside. Her smile was bright as she looked up at him, those eyes hooded as she clicked her tongue. 

“Oh-hoho. I didn’t think I’d find your weakness so soon, Cu Chulainn.” 

“You think tickling me will get you anywhere?” 

She leaned upwards, that smile turning into more of a smirk as her chest pressed against his chest. “Heroes are often taken down by the simplest of things. Achilles was defeated by his heels, for example.” 

“Uh huh. I doubt anyone but you would try to tickle me to death.” He stole her lips away, releasing her hands only after she melted against him. Their bodies rolled over, leaving him beneath her in the water. Her head rested against his chest, smile still in place. 

“It’s useful to know though. If our enemies have small things like that that I could use against them, it would mean an advantage we hadn’t considered before.” 

“Touch would mean getting close though.” Lancer leaned in closer, running his hands over her chest. “In case you’ve forgotten, you can hardly get close enough to spit on me.” 

“I don’t get knocked down as much when I focus though.” 

“Sometimes,” he relented, shaking his head. “You’re doing better than the other day. It’ll take time.” 

“Time isn’t something we have though,” Rin replied. Her gaze flickered to her feet as she propped them on the edge of the tub. “Every moment that I train and prepare is another moment that whoever tried to kill me has to prepare another attack.” 

“What do you want to do?” 

Rin pursed her lips a bit, thinking. “The person is using Shinji to attack, which means Shinji knows something.” 

“We’re watching him.” 

“But we can’t know what he talks about with the person over the phone… We’ll need to get to his phone.” She frowned, thinking more. 

“We could steal it.” 

“We could.” Rin looked up at him, “We’ll need to set up the scenario though. If we plan where and when to steal the phone, we could get answers.” 

“What do you propose?”


	24. Chapter 24

He argued with her for hours, following her down the stairs after getting dressed. The others returned, sans Prototype, complaining about bath houses.

“Archer,” Rin looked over at him, setting down her book that she’d barely read. “If I were to invite Shinji out to a public place, how likely do you think it would be that you could steal his phone?”

“I could get it,” he confirmed.

“See? Not a problem.”

“Except for the fact that you’ll be inviting the person who helped plan to kill you out for what? Lunch? Dinner?”

“Dinner would be more successful, I think.” Rin nodded at that, standing up and heading for the phone.

“RIN!” 

“Oh, calm down. You’ve been panicking about it for so long. I won’t go alone! I’ll invite Shirou to join us! It’ll make sure to keep Shinji off me and give me another set of eyes.”

“Pick somewhere we could slip in without notice.” Archer recommended.

“I was thinking somewhere nice. Shinji’s self-absorbed self won’t be able to resist the opportunity to complain about somewhere decent. He’s too full of himself.” 

Caster settled onto the couch nearby, nodding at the idea. “Pick somewhere with lower lighting for this. The worse the lighting, the easier it’ll be for slipping in and out.”

Rin nodded. “We’ll need to buy an alternate phone card for his phone. When one of you grabs it, we can switch the information out and return the phone before he suspects a thing. I doubt he’ll stay long once Shirou joins.” She turned, hearing someone on the other end of the line. “Shirou! We need you and Saber to help us!”

Lancer leaned against Caster’s lap, watching her a moment before he huffed.

“So upset,” Caster murmured. His fingers worked through his hair lightly. His attention went to Archer. “See, this is how you get with Prototype. It’s a darn shame too. You both need to learn to relax. I don’t have these kinds of issues.”

“You like a servant the size of a three year old,” Archer replied smoothly, slipping onto a nearby chair. He crossed one leg over the other, shaking his head at the man. “If you are about to lecture myself and Lancer on the proper etiquette for liaisons, I think you can save them for the moment you busy yourself with-“ He paused, his body jolting a moment before Caster chuckled.

“You alright?”

“Collared by a mutt,” he growled, turning his face away.

Rin hung up the phone and grinned. “Shirou is going to head this way with Saber. Once they’re here. We can plan the location and time for meeting with Shinji. I think the sooner the better.” 

Shirou and Saber came late, ensuing a return of the original argument. Shirou remained on Lancer’s side, arguing that the plan was doomed to go awry. Saber argued that it might be a smart maneuver, offering to go with her in case they were concerned about her capabilities to hold her own against someone extra possibly showing up.

“It’s not about that,” Shirou insisted.

It took half the night to argue the details. 

Shirou would join her at the table if things looked to be going south in any way, shape, or form. If nothing went wrong, he would still join, just to claim the get together as a means to get homework for school. 

Saber would join after a few minutes, pulling her away and leaving Shinji to storm off; since Shinji didn’t like Shirou and would take the opportunity to leave.

Archer and Lancer would position themselves amongst the kitchen staff with the help of Caster. 

Caster would sit at a nearby table.

And Prototype would be watching the house and perimeter with Berserker. 

“Leaving the house unguarded would be foolish,” Rin reasoned. “They’re intent on burning the house down with us in it. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.”

They all remained in the Tohsaka residence, Lancer’s arms holding her tight to himself as he slept. Once again, Archer found his way into her room, slipping into her arms just as Rin began to fall asleep. An extra three bodies joined after that, with Berserker climbing onto her hip to sleep.

She woke up to Shirou and Archer’s argument over food drifting up from the main floor. Lancer was downstairs, challenging Saber to a lighthearted match of blades outside. 

Prototype was nowhere to be seen.

“He wanted to look at the books you have downstairs,” Caster told her, turning up behind her as she looked around.

“Hmm?”

“Prototype? He’s downstairs.”

Rin nodded simply, watching the two men argue in the kitchen for another moment. 

They settled in, enjoying breakfast and calling Shinji before Shirou and Saber left. With the plans set in place, they had an agreement. 

They would meet at 8 that evening. They would execute the plan.

Then, when that was done, they would research to find out who their mystery enemy was. 


	25. Chapter 25

Mana gems filled, each servant with his own stock of mana to use in case of a fight; they were ready.

Rin adjusted her skirts again, looking around quietly. They needed to do this. No matter how disgusting Shinji was and how incredibly unrealistic this situation would be in any other scenario, she had to do this. Just distract him long enough to let one of the servants get the phone and switch the phone cards. They would just need to pull the back off, switch the cards, and turn the phone back on. It would take a total of a minute and a half. 

A minute and a half of distraction from his phone and she was free. 

“Tohsaka!” 

The voice alone was nails on a chalkboard as Rin looked over at the man. He marched through the place as though the rest of the room were nothing, nearly knocking a waiter over on the way. 

Archer caught the man in time, giving her a look before he murmured for the man to follow after him. 

Shinji just chuckled, settling in the seat close to her and leaning against the table. 

“Well, well, well… It would seem that the shoe has gotten onto the other foot. I didn’t expect you to be calling me up out of the blue.” 

“I didn’t expect you to be so willing to meet with me.” 

She had to hold her ordered cup of tea in hand to keep from strangling the man. This was the asshole who-

“Can I get you some more tea?” Lancer asked, leaning lightly against the table. Those bright red eyes looked at her meaningfully, gaze flickering to the kid for a moment before he looked at her again. 

“Yes, thank you.” 

She held up her cup, grateful to the man for intercepting. 

Not that he was right, interrupting the conversation just to refill her teacup with more than enough tea. He did provide a minute where she could take in his presence though, appreciate his closeness in light of the enemy in their midst. 

“Oi!” Shinji held up his fingers, snapping them in front of her face to get Lancer’s attention. “I want wine. Finest you have.” 

“Can I see your identification card?” 

“I’m a Matou. I don’t need to show my identification card.” He smirked at her before looking over at him. “My family owns half the buildings around here.” 

“Of course they do,” Lancer replied smoothly. He headed away and Rin sighed. 

“Gonna have him fired,” Shinji stated simply. “Honestly, he didn’t even offer choices.” 

“You threatened him.” 

“I reminded him of his place. Something we are supposed to do as heirs to older, more valuable families.” Shinji leaned closer, resting his head once more on his hand as he propped himself on the table. “Now then, back to me being surprised that you contacted me.” 

The man was too close. Rin pulled her chair a little further from him and shook her head. “Let’s have something to eat first before we get to that. I’m not one to begin business on an empty stomach.” 

He just tossed her a knowing look, brushing back his hair and nodding. “Alright. I’ll bite. You went to the effort to look better than usual and I can appreciate decent company. I’m sure you’ve been deprived with how much I see you near Emiya Shirou.” 

She just hummed, sipping at the tea again. 

“I mean- out of anyone in our school, I’m surprised we haven’t spent more time together so far. With me being such an important member of the archery team and being a high ranking family in the community, I would have thought we would spend much more of our time together.” 

The sight of Archer at the neighboring table, slipping an object into his pocket, was the only thing that kept her tongue in check. Rin nodded, “There aren’t many mage families in the area, are there?” 

“None worthwhile. I’ve been communicating with one of the English families, but even they’re lackluster.” The man moved his chair a bit closer, eyes drifting lower. 

Minute and a half to change the card, another minute to put the phone back, and then she was free. Archer was in the distance, his body blocked partially by Lancer as though they were in conversation. 

“Tohsaka?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I asked what you thought?” 

Rin cursed mentally, letting out a light shrug. “I didn’t hear the context. You have something on your face, right here,” she motioned at a random part of her cheek with one finger, shaking her head as he wiped at it. “I don’t think you’ll get it without some water.” 

“Damn it.” He stood up, wiping at it on the way through the room again. “Hold on, Tohsaka.” 

“I’ll be here,” she told him, leaning back. 

The room spun for a minute. 

Rin looked around, frowning before a lightheadedness whipped through her again. 

Something was wrong. 

Moving to get up from her seat, Rin paused. 

They wouldn’t have the opportunity to put the phone back if Shinji didn’t find her sitting here. At this point, if he checked his pocket, he would find that his phone was gone. They would need to leave the phone on the floor, but she would need to also be sitting here, waiting. 

The room was rotating slightly though. Something was wrong with her system. 

Had she pulled too much mana out earlier when she had restored mana with Archer and the others? 

But she would have felt lightheaded earlier. No, something else was drawing mana from her. Not a great amount, but- with the weakened state she was in, it was drawing enough that she felt like she needed rest. 

Shinji reappeared in the room, weaving his way over as Rin leaned back in her seat. 

“As I was saying,” Shinji began, “given that we’re both talented mages and the only ones in the city, we should work together to increase our capabilities. Mutual benefits and whatnot.” 

Rin just stared at him before shutting her eyes. 

It hurt to move, but not leaving was a clear indication that she was fine with what he was suggesting. Shirou was supposed to be coming in at this point. Him and Saber. Were they still waiting outside for the phone card? Where the hell was Lancer? 

They were lucky Shinji hadn’t recognized him before, but damn if she didn’t want him to risk the chance again. 

“Tohsaka?” 

“Sorry, I think I have a headache starting,” she forced a smile. “I wasn’t aware you were studying magecraft.” 

“I’m more capable than most of the mages I’ve seen,” he boasted. 

The room was still swimming. She couldn’t breathe. 

“I don’t know how bad that headache is,” Shinji murmured, “but I could help with the pain, Rin. I know a rather good method for getting rid of all pain…”

He was getting closer. Rin moved to grab the table when she heard someone step forward. 

Thank God, Lancer had appeared. 

Looking up, she paused. 

Short, dark hair met her gaze. The room had gone deathly silent as the man adjusted his turtleneck, pushing Shinji’s chair away from her and pulling another chair closer. He settled himself between them and Rin felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. 

“Sorry, I’m late. It took a few minutes to find my way here.” 

“Who are you?” 

The man simply shook his head at the boy, leaning back. His attention went to her. “Seeing as we’re out and enjoying a meal together, is there anything in particular that you would like to have?” 

The man drew attention. It felt like she was obligated to look up at him, despite the fatigue and-

Shinji was stopped from moving by a lance, the yellow object barely visible under the table. 

“You will sit down and you will excuse yourself nicely,” the man told him. “Once you’ve excused yourself, head for the doorway and go home. Do not contact my lady again. Do not harass my lady again. If I find you imposing yourself upon her again, I will not be responsible for what happens to you.” 

Shinji spluttered, standing up and moving around his chair. His gaze flew to her. “I don’t know what the hell this is, but-“

“My lady wanted your assistance, but that is no longer necessary,” the man told the boy. 

Shinji stormed out, leaving Rin to look up at the man. 

He had a lock of hair in his face as those yellow eyes looked her way. The green sweater he had on fit snuggly, leaving her with no doubt that he could take her at this point if she tried to fight him. 

Wherever her servants were, it was apparent that they had run into trouble. 

A hand pulled hers to his lips, his hands pulling a menu from nearby. 

“…Who-“

“Sir!” The man waved at one of the few waiters in the room, motioning him over. “My lady has been bothered this evening. Please get a fresh cup of tea for the woman and…” he eyes drifted over the menu before he smiled. “And perhaps something sweet to eat. I think the unwanted guest was quite taxing.” 

Rin pressed a hand to her forehead, leaning against the table as the waiter nodded and headed off. Once again, she was left with the stranger at the table. 

There was a commotion in the other room, but Rin didn’t hear the details. 

Her eyes drifted to the mole just below the man’s one eye, the resigned look on the other’s face. 

“You’ll have to forgive me, I was brought about late.” The man murmured, leaning close. His fingers moved to her cheek, tilting her head back slightly. “Although the circumstances are not what I would have wanted, I am cursed to immerse myself in these kinds of situations.” 

“You’ll have to forgive me, but who-“

The man kept his hold of her hand, kissing it again before he set it down gently and moved to stand up. Rather than letting the waiter set down the teacup and pour, he thanked the man and did it himself. 

“You’re barely holding on. I should have guessed with another servant, you would be pushing your limits. My apologies. I will resist the urge to summon my weapon until you are fully recovered.” 

This couldn’t be her servant. She would have had to make a summons or chanted or- 

Still, the man was saying he was her servant. If he was an opponent’s servant…

The drink would no doubt be tampered with. That was the only reason that-

Those golden colored eyes looked down at her a moment before he nodded. “You’re right. This is not the time or the place for introductions or pledges of allegiance.” 

He offered a hand, being denied as Rin stood up. She moved carefully, heading towards the door. Moving towards the door, she could see what was happening in the other room. Archer and Lancer had been found out. The two were creating a scene in the kitchens as Caster lay unconscious. 

Outside the doors, the streets were filling with a crowd, trying to find out what was happening. The crowd was no doubt where Saber and Shirou were lost. There would be no one available to help until she either made it to her home or the others got out of the restaurant. 

Which meant she was on her own with little mana. 

Lancer had been right: She had needed to train with a lance. 

They walked slowly in the direction of her home, the man behind her absolutely silent. Rin looked over her shoulder at him, thinking carefully. 

“Could you try to summon your weapons?” 

“Hmm?” 

Rin motioned around. “I don’t want to be caught in the unawares. If you could summon your weapon-“

His lances appeared. Two of them. Rin paused, looking at the two weapons carefully. The yellow lance was shorter. It would be more difficult to get close to him with it, but the red lance was more length that the other would need to account for when fighting. 

She wasn’t good with distance. Her better chances against Lancer and Prototype had been at shorter distance. 

“You have two lances,” Rin observed, moving closer. 

“I do.” He nodded sagely. 

He was holding his lances in the same kind of way that she always had when listening to the lancers. Nodding at his words, Rin forced herself to relax. She had to think like Lancer did. 

She shot out a foot, slamming it against the man before her hands were on the yellow lance. With her grip around the weapon, she took a lowered position, feet spread. 

“What- What are you doing?” 

“This is as far as we go together,” Rin told him. 

“You question my capabilities?” 

Brushing off the question with a shrug, Rin watched the man move his other lance into position. A small smile formed on his face, pityingly. “I take no personal enjoyment from attacking my own master when she is weak, but if you insist on testing my capabilities-“

“Enough!” 

She struck out, watching the man bounce back and moving backwards before he could lunge at her. It was similar to Lancer’s movements. He kept his feet light, his lance drifting between hands as he stalked around her. 

Another lunge came her way, with his lance striking towards her chest this time. Her mind flickered instantly to another of Lancer’s moves, leaping up without hesitation and using the lance in her hands to beat his down. His strength made it hardly alter course, but it did provide more lift. Her weapon hit his shoulder, earning a pained sound from the man. 

As she landed, Rin leaned herself against the wall, breathing harder as the man just stared at her. 

“…That…”

“Come on, what happened to testing capabilities?” 

He became quicker, moving with the power of mana. Her mana, Rin realized as she dodged the attack and slid under him. Her lance struck his knees, slamming him down against the ground before she began to run. 

Shinji must have done something. He had attacked the servant to her mana, allowing him to deplete her energy levels. Or maybe it was simply that she had been acted upon by magecraft somehow. 

Her feet barely missed being swiped at. The flash of red had her jumping into the air again, using what little mana was in her body to reach for a fire escape. 

The lance nearly clattered out of her hands as she pushed herself onto the escape landing, looking down at those glowing golden eyes. 

“Who trained you?” 

“What’s wrong?” Rin smirked at him, buoyed by the fact that she was somehow, someway holding her own. The other was bruised in places, bleeding at the knees and neck. 

The man shook his head, weapon spinning again before he leaped for the ladder. The moment his grip was on the rails, Rin jumped, grabbing his back as a buffer. His sweater ripped, body stumbling as Rin hit the pavement and sprinted in the direction of the road again. Hurrying along the road, she looked back at the feeling of the man coming closer. Her lance prepared for the attack a moment before-

Another red lance crossed her vision, a body pressing behind hers as the man flew backwards. His body landed on the street a moment before she heard laughter behind her. 

“Fucking Dagda, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne,” Lancer was behind her. The necklace from around his neck was pressed against her, the mana flowing back into place. She sighed at the feeling, the power was a buffer from unconsciousness. 

“I should have guessed,” the man spat on the ground, shaking his head. “There’s only one lancer that could fight with such a casual method.” 

Lancer shook his head, standing over him. “What are you doing here?” 

“Protecting my master, although she seems to be wanting to test me.” 

“Eh?” Cu Chulainn crossed his arms, lance dematerializing. “And who says she’s your master?” 

“I woke up in a basement,” Diarmuid replied testily, sitting up slightly. “There was another servant there. He let me know where to find my master. Apparently, she had the same curse set upon her that I have. It wasn’t hard to guess who it was when I entered the establishment.” 

“Rin,” Lancer looked back at her, frowning. “Have you been summoning servants?” 

“Not since you,” Rin told him, moving forward carefully to his side. 

“I am not a servant, Cu Chulainn,” Diarmuid replied. “I’m a familiar, according to the one who helped summon me. My purpose is not for the grail war. I’m here to guard and guide my master. For life.” 

Lancer just sighed, wiping at his face a little before he looked over at her. 

“I haven’t summoned a familiar since Saber and I had Shirou help with that since he wanted to have her with him.” 

“Come on,” Lancer pulled the lance from her hands, tossing it to Diarmuid. “We’re going to gain attention standing around like this. You’re lucky that Caster woke up, Dia. Rin was gonna kick your ass.” 

The man huffed, climbing to his feet as Lancer wrapped an arm around her and they began to walk towards home. Rin glanced back at the man before leaning closer to Cu. 

“Lancer-“

“Don’t worry about him. Dia’s about as dangerous to you right now as I am. You managed to pick a fight with one of the only men in the world who will fight fairly and honorably, if there is such a thing.” 

“I resent that” Diarmuid argued. “Just because you are incapable of fighting like a decent human being-“

“Save it,” Lancer told him. He shook his head. “I swear, we’re gonna need to keep you hidden away in a monastery. Every time you get near a woman, trouble begins.” 

“My lady,” Diarmuid moved closer to her side, glaring over at Lancer. “I warn you now, Cu Chulainn is nothing less than a beast of a person. He takes great joy in following rules in only the loosest of senses and he takes great joy in doing whatever unsavory thing necessary to defeat his opposition.” 

“Watch your mouth, Diarmuid.” 

“He hasn’t been honorable in a long while.” 

Rin moved ahead of them as Lancer opened the front door for her. Landing with a heavy sigh on one of the couches, she shut her eyes. 

“So a familiar, huh?” Lancer moved to sit next to her, pulling her body to himself. 

“Ah- Cu Chulainn, let go-“

“I go by Lancer for most of the time. There’s a couple extras of me running around the house so it makes things easier.” 

“Extras?” 

“Who is this?” Archer came down the stairs, frowning as Rin watched him enter the room. 

“This,” Lancer replied easily, “is a lancer from my time, although he just got his ass kicked by Rin.” 

“I was being polite and not killing-“

“She had your cursed lance. How many body parts of yours aren’t working properly right now?” 

“Four.” The man replied to him tightly, 

“Cursed?” Rin looked up at him. “What are you talking about?” 

“You trained her. It’s little wonder when you were trained by the infamous Scathach. You’ve no doubt been pushing her to learn how to fight with a lance. What’s more, she’s my master and it wouldn’t be appropriate to fight her to the death.” 

“She was about five minutes from killing you,” Lancer teased. 

“Who is your master,” Archer asked. 

“Don’t.” Rin shook her head. “I’ve had enough. I’m tired. My head hurts. You’re all too loud and too confusing. I need a bath and we better have the damn phone card.” 

“We do,” Archer confirmed. 

“Then fine. Draw me a bath and that’ll be it.” 

“You’ll need extra mana,” a familiar voice replied. Rin just let out a groan. 

“Berserker, how did you get back to normal?” 

The man’s claws reached over the couch, earning a shocked sound from Diarmuid and a sigh from Archer. Lancer just watched him, frowning as the man leaned over the top of the couch and hummed lightly. 

“Prototype was concerned about your capabilities in light of the situation. From what I’d gathered and from what he said, I elected to help you gain an extra hand.” 

“A familiar?” 

“You take very good notes.” He replied, tail waving behind him. “It was a matter of getting your blood, which Lancer failed to clean out of the bathtub.” 

She was really starting to hate servants with situations like this. Glancing over at a gaping, babbling Diarmuid, Rin nodded. 

“There’s four of these idiots running around. Archer, set up my bath already. Berserker, since you are capable of being functional again, stay out of my basement and study. I would like for you to watch the perimeter.” 

“Fine.” 

Archer nodded as well, turning and disappearing back up the stairs. 

Lancer propped his feet on the coffee table as Berserker left the room. “You know Berserker probably knocked out Prototype, right?” 

“I’m aware.” 

“Are you hungry?” 

“Famished since someone decided to ruin the entire plan.” 

Lancer nodded, kissing her a moment before he left the room. Diarmuid choked on the very air he breathed. 

“You just- Lancer! You can’t kiss your master like that!” 

“Diarmuid, was it?” Rin looked over at him a moment, watching the man continue to chastise Lancer. “Diarmuid!” 

“What is it?” 

“Come here. Sit.” 

The man moved to sit next to her, his movements noticeably stiff. 

“What’s wrong with-“

“My one lance is cursed. Anything it wounds becomes useless. My neck, knees, and back have become quite unhelpful thanks to our fight.” Diarmuid sighed, “I am not entirely sure of my purpose at your side, but know that, as your familiar, I will fight whatever fight you deem is necessary.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Along with that, I’ll ensure that your unruly servants keep their distance and their bodies to themselves.” Diarmuid crossed his arms. “It’s entirely inappropriate for Lancer to be touching you with such familiarity. As someone who served as a knight in our homeland, he should know as well as anyone what comes about touching women above your rank.” 

“I’m going to take my bath. Tell Lancer to meet me upstairs when he has food prepared.” She moved to stand, feeling the man help her up. His grip on her arm lightened as he looked at her. 

“You’re exhausted. Perhaps it would be better to rest-“

“I’ll be fine enough for a bath.” 

“Right…” Diarmuid let her go. 

He was clearly Celtic. The voice, mannerisms at times, and the facial features were similar in ways to Lancer’s. What’s more, for whatever reason, they all seemed like… dogs. There wasn’t any other way to describe the behavior. Diarmuid looked like a dog that had just been kicked. 

Taking a handful of steps towards the other room, Rin paused, looking back at the lost servant. It was just shocking. His friend or acquaintance or whatever Lancer was- now four people. Another servant was running around him. And his master had tried to beat him with his own weapon. 

With good success, although she probably didn’t want to be proud of that. 

“Diarmuid.” 

“Yes?” 

“If you could…” She paused, trying to think of something. He wasn’t Caster. He couldn’t just heal his own injuries away or help secure the perimeter with Berserker. He didn’t have the strength to do much and it was her fault. “…Could you please check on Lancer and Prototype?” 

“Who is Prototype?” 

“Lancer, but younger. You can’t mistake them. Proto has his bangs in his face.” 

“There was mention of there being multiple of him?” 

“Lancer you’ve seen. Prototype has his bangs in the way. Caster wears this winter looking outfit and is paler than the others. Berserker has a tail. And then you’ve seen Archer, although he is not Cu Chulainn. He is the future possibility of a boy that lives in this time named Emiya Shirou.” 

The man nodded. 

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t know how I feel about all the servants around either. Sometimes it feels like there’s more than I’ll be able to have the patience for.” Seeing him still tense, Rin smiled a little. “You met Lancer before?” 

“I fought him a few times, although we were dragged from our fight by others. We had a mutual agreement never to fight truthfully. I may feel I could take him, but I would rather not be wrong.” 

“He’s an unusual person.” She looked towards the kitchen and felt herself smiling a little more. “I like that about him though. He keeps things from getting too serious. It has hardly been quiet in the house with him here… Anyway, Prototype can fill you in on what’s been happening around here. I’ll talk with you in the morning.” 

“Right, my lady. 

“Just Rin.” Rin smiled at him. “I don’t worry about class differences or anything like that. It’ll be easier for you to call me Rin.” 

“I appreciate the comfort, Rin.” 

Archer’s coat was visible from where she stood, the sound of footsteps approaching as she nodded. “Let me know if you need anything. While I may not have intended to summon you, I won’t shrink from my responsibilities to work with you.” 

All the way up the stairs, Rin could feel the man’s eyes on her back. 


	26. Chapter 26

Lancer listened to the man enter the room and pulled out another beer can, tossing it the other lancer’s way.

“What’s this?” 

“Cheap mead in a can,” he told him. 

The man settled onto a seat nearby, investigating the can a moment before he snapped it open and took a small sip. A grimace came across his face. “This tastes atrocious.” 

“Sorry, princess. The only other shit we have is wine.” 

“No water? Juice?” 

Lancer rolled his eyes, pulling out the water jug and moving it across the counter to the man. 

“Better.” Diarmuid looked around again, nodding to himself. “I don’t think it’s been that terribly long since I was previously summoned. Many of the buildings and places look familiar to me.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Yes, they do.” The man moved to find a glass, pouring the water carefully before he returned the jug to the fridge. Lancer continued to collect a handful of things onto a platter. 

“Then I guess we don’t need to brief you on how to act in this time.” 

“I was supposed to talk to a Prototype about what has been happening around here.” Diarmuid looked around. “Rin mentioned-“

“So it’s Rin, is it?” 

“She asked me to call her by her name. It would be inappropriate with her as my master to disobey.” 

Lancer looked over at the man, watching the man carefully. There was a glint in one eye. Without a doubt, this guy was another open book. Worse than Prototype honestly. 

“She’s interesting,” Lancer offered. “Definitely keeps the place lively.” 

“She said the same thing about you.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

Diarmuid nodded, sipping at the water in his hands and stretching his neck. “Thankfully, she didn’t put any power behind the attacks she did to me, otherwise I would be begging you to help me gain strength. I didn’t expect her to attack me, especially not with any kind of skill.” 

He hadn’t expected Rin to put up much of a fight either, but there had been moments, when he had been held back from getting out of the restaurant to get to Rin, where he had sensed the fighting. He had felt close to Rin, if only just. 

“The curse on her is recent, isn’t it?” 

“It is.” 

Diarmuid nodded, looking towards the other room. “I noticed it strengthening as her power weakened. You helped her gather it under control. I’m guessing runes?” 

“Rin isn’t aware of the full extent of it, but we had Caster lessen it. It’s his fault it’s there in the first place.” 

“You’re aware of what the curse will do over time, right?” 

“I know of your tale.” 

Diarmuid motioned at the beauty mark on his face, “It gets worse with time. You destroy relationships, trusts between couples. All that’s left after a time is just a hollowed amount of time.” 

“Rin has someone who won’t leave. She’ll be fine.” 

“And when someone tries to get close?” 

“I’ll kill them.” 

Diarmuid cursed in their native tongue, staring towards the ceiling. “Does the man know that you are close to Rin? Does he know how many men are in this house?! We should be vacating and letting the woman have what alone time is necessary to assure the man of her loyalty.” 

“He’s aware.” 

That earned a scoff. “You don’t know this, Cu Chulainn. I have centuries of this experience. Always jealousy in the end. You can be as honorable as possible and they’ll still kill you.” 

“Rin will be fine.” 

“Cu Chulainn!” 

The man was practically pulling at his hair with anxiety, standing up for lack of anything else to do. It was almost funny to watch him. 

“The curse on Rin will fade. Caster did it himself and it’s been easing away. Give her a couple weeks and she’ll be back to normal. As for interests, I’ve been keeping her plenty occupied.” 

“Gods, Cu Chulainn,” the man spluttered. “Are you suggesting that you- with-“

“Rin is mine bodily, although I share her as a master with all of you.” Lancer winked at him. “It’s been good, Dia. I’d recommend sampling, but I don’t share lightly. “

“And I shouldn’t be around women! Gods, Cu Chulainn!” 

The man followed after him, all the way up the stairs, down the hallway. When we opened the door and moved into the bathroom where Rin was already falling asleep in the tub, the man tugged at the back of his armor. 

“Gods, man!” 

“Oi,” he looked back over his shoulder. “Go find Prototype or something.” 

“I can’t just let you take advantage-“ He stopped, noting Rin moving in the tub. His gaze quickly averted. “Ah- Rin, I’m sorry. I was stopping Cu Chulainn-“

“I was wondering where you were.” As always, those sleepy eyes locked on him and were hyperfocused. Lancer just smiled, setting the food down nearby and disrobing immediately. He pushed her forward for a moment, settling in behind her back and holding her to his chest. 

“I was just getting reacquainted with Diarmuid. It’s been a few centuries.” 

The woman hummed, her face pressing against his chest as the other lancer just spluttered. 

“Apparently, I was described as lively and interesting.” 

The woman just hummed confirmation, not bothering to move. 

Diarmuid just settled near the tub, done. That was the only way to describe him at this point. He had to laugh at the guy, beaten by his master and finding out about a handful of other servants. There were too many of them at this point. 

As usual, Berserker was making life difficult for them all. 

Moving his hands down Rin’s body, Lancer watched the other man a moment, thinking carefully. 

“I-I suppose I should find the younger looking you… Prototype,” Diarmuid stuttered, trying to avoid looking over at them. 

“I can explain the situation,” Lancer replied. “I think having you close is helping Rin replenish her energy.” 

“Is it?” 

It wasn’t. Rin was just almost asleep in the tub and beyond the point of complaining or getting embarrassed. He could probably lay her out on the bathroom floor for Diarmuid to look at and she wouldn’t have a said a word against it. 

“It is,” Lancer replied. “Anyway, Rin summoned us during a house fire.” 

“Alright. She just needed assistance getting out?” 

“She was severely burned.” 

Diarmuid nodded. “So she needed someone to help her in her time of need.” 

“Right. The summoning went awry though. She summoned me, but I split into four servants.” 

“Gods.” 

“Yeah, it’s been a pain in the ass at times. Helpful occasionally.” 

“She’s healed though.” 

“She is, but now we have to find who ordered the killing. The kid Rin was meeting with was in contact with the person.” 

“Let’s capture him and torture him until he tells us.” 

“Rin wanted a more… subtle approach. I used the torture idea and earned the couch for a night.” Something he would rather not repeat again, since sleeping without Rin had become a chore. 

“You were successful?” 

“We were. At this point, we just need Rin to get some rest and we need to figure out how this mana thing is going to work.” 

Diarmuid nodded. “Clearly. I don’t understand why Rin doesn’t just blend you back together again. If the magic was messed up, it seems like simply putting you back together would resolve that issue.” 

Lancer frowned at the idea, his gaze going to Rin’s hands. His fingers traced over the marks on her right…

His frown deepened. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Rin’s missing command spells.” 

“Hmm?” Diarmuid’s face mimicked his as he nudged Rin. 

“Oi! Rin. I need you to wake up. You’re missing spells.” 

“Five minutes,” she murmured. 

“Rin…” 

It was hopeless. The woman was going to rest through the night whether she meant to or not. It was strange not to see the command spells on her hand though. Checking her other hand, he shut his eyes, thinking. 

Perhaps she had rattled off a command or two during the fighting. She had fought well against Diarmuid. It was possible she had commanded for as much power and knowledge that Prototype had. 

“I should leave,” Diarmuid stated, standing up. “Shall I get you both something before I leave?” 

“Nah, we’re good.” Lancer grinned at him, pulling his thoughts away from the spells. “It’s good to have ya around, I guess. We’re just gonna need to figure out what to do with ourselves once we find Rin’s enemy.” 

“I can at least help her keep you all in line,” he replied easily. “It feels more like a house of debauchery, based on there being four of you and your relationship with our master being… less than savory.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

The man shrugged. “You’re climbing into her bath, following in her shadow. I am not surprised she just accepts it. You probably dogged her in-“

“Gods, I hate you all.” Itching at the headache already starting, he leaned himself against Rin’s person. “Enough of this dog shit. I ain’t a mutt. You’re all just assholes.” 

“I have done nothing to deserve that title.” 

“Sure, the dogged comment-“

“I was simply pointing out that the poor woman probably hasn’t had a single day away from you. What with there being four of you, I’m surprised she knows other people still exist.” 

That just earned a shrug. Other people were whatever. She was his. She had pointed that out herself. Decision made. She could see other people after enemies were dead. Rather than answering Diarmuid’s comment, he simply began to wash her hair. The process of bathing was quickly becoming a hobby he enjoyed more than any other. 

Between the bubble butt, the smooth thighs, the plump breasts, and her long hair; there was plenty to keep himself occupied with. And plenty for Diarmuid to notice, he observed, seeing the other man hovering nearby. 

The curse was still going strong, bewitching the man in the same way that beauty mark of his bewitched a thousand women and some. He looked over, watching Diarmuid hesitate before their eyes met. 

“I…”

“Just sit down and enjoy the view with me, Dia.” 

“I shouldn’t. She is my master and- It would be- I mean,” he stumbled over trying to find reasoning. His eyes looked away only to return. 

“She’s your master as well. If I ain’t around and Red’s busy, it’ll be your damn job to watch her. Sit down and enjoy. Just remember that I have dibs on anything sexual.” 

“I would never!” 

“Sit down,” he reiterated, tugging at the man’s armor until he crouched down by the tub. 

The man waited a moment, looking around. 

His hands itched over a strap on his armor, his face burning a thousand shades of red as he hovered. When Lancer began to work magic over Rin’s skin, lathering her legs, the man pressed his face to the rim of the tub. 

“Just get in, man!” 

“I can’t.” 

“Damn it, Dia. Either leave or join. Gods, you’re probably hard enough to use your dick as a lance!” 

“I’m not going to descend to the ill-mannered beast that you’ve become.” 

A knock came at the door, directing them to the fact that 1) The door was open and 2) Archer had been watching. How long he had been watching was a mystery, but at the invitation, the man was pulling off the straps of his armor and heading into the room. 

“If that’s an open invitation, I will at least allow our master to not have to be alone with two men intent on watching her sleep naked.” 

“Come on, Dia,” Cu murmured, ignoring the white haired servant climbing in. “This tub fits four.” 

Archer’s jacket landed behind the man as Diarmuid stood up and turned away. 

“You’re both irredeemable. Our poor master, dealing with the likes of you both. I’ll be in the hallway. When you’re done washing her, please hand her to me before her poor body suffers under your advances.” 

“It’s a bit late for propriety on her behalf,” Lancer growled. 

“She was doomed long before even I found her,” Archer told the man, turning on the faucet. 

“Oi, that’s too damn hot.” 

“The water’s getting cold, mutt. While Rin might be unconscious and you might think it’s fine, some of us prefer not to freeze to death.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” He huffed, pulling Rin’s hands into his own and keeping them out of view. 

Later, once the others had gone to bed, he would investigate what was going on with Prototype. 


	27. Chapter 27

Caster looked up at the man in front of himself, yawning slightly as he smoked the second to last cigarette in his pack. Seeing the runes drawn haphazardly across his palms, glowing in the night air, he could already guess what was to come.

It was the only way in the end. 

He pat the space on the patio steps next to himself, knowing the beast would settle next to him. 

The man sat down. 

“Here,” he passed the last cig the man’s way, lighting it with his own. 

Berserker nodded, taking a moment to let the nicotine flood his system. 

Together, they both looked out into the lawn. 

“The name that was found in Rin’s records was Luviagelita Edelfelt. The last name is supposed to be a family of mages from Europe, from what I read in Rin’s basement. I suspect they either felt like challenging the mages of this area or they found interest in the Holy Grail and decided to intercept mages here for it.” 

The beast nodded. 

“Yeah. I figured you’d want to know the name of the mage to kill.” He smiled, leaning back a little more. He let out a puff of smoke, nodding to himself. “Of course, knowing the name won’t be enough. We’ll have to find a way to get close, but Rin won’t forgive you for taking away Prototype or myself. She’s too loyal. She’ll kill you before she lets this go. You’ll have to make things progress more quickly. You’ll need to find a way to get Rin close.” The last of his cigarette went out, leaving him to lay back and sigh. 

The night world was so wild, so vivid around the house. One would never had suspected that the house had burned down or that all that had transpired had gone down. To the rest of the world, they were nothing but a mere blip. 

And he would be gone just as fast. 

“It’s been fun,” Caster sighed. 

“Oh?” 

He glanced over at Berserker, nodding. 

“Yeah. I didn’t think much of trying to fight alongside you all, but it’s been exciting. Prototype kept things childish. Lancer kept things focused.” He nudged the man’s leg, “I enjoyed being fucked by you a good handful of times. Diluted my knowledge of runes with some darkness. Always fun. I imagine my body will lose some of the toll that I paid to learn bits and pieces of that information.” 

“It’s possible,” the man agreed. “Only the worst of it sticks to the body after a summons. You’ll find that darkness clinging to the edge of your consciousness.” 

Caster grinned, glancing his way again. “Cool.” 

“You have accepted your death graciously.” 

“Have I?” Caster let out a light snort. “I guess… When I think about it, I know better than to fight what was inevitable. It was you or Lancer who would kill me. Rin doesn’t have the strength to combine us back together again. Lancer probably wouldn’t do it because of that too. Which would leave us all draining the hell out of the woman until she simply died or suffered consequences. In the end, there really was only you.” 

“I’ll be going after Lancer next,” Berserker told him. 

Obvious. 

Although Caster had a good feeling inside himself that the idiot was probably upstairs, slumbering away next to their master and aware of none of this. The fool would naturally be surprised by it all. Berserker would probably have to fight their own summons with Diarmuid. 

Eh, he’d never been overly fond of the man anyway. 

“May I make a suggestion,” Caster asked, “for how to proceed when you rip our master’s heart from her chest?” 

Those red eyes flickered over to them, a moment passing until he nodded. 

Bugs chirped in the charred greenery around the house. An owl hooted from a nearby fencepost as the ends of Berserker’s cigarette dwindled. With the passing minutes, the world seemed to be at peace. Everything felt warm and open. A smooth breeze, cool to the touch as it went through the area. 

And then there were the city lights beyond the fence, alighting the world as bugs glowed here and there in the backyard. 

So peaceful…

His words were soft, nothing more than a low murmur in the midst of the sounds and whistle of the winds. There was no point drawing it out. Caster went straight to the point. 

“As always, Caster, your suggestion is second to none.” The Berserker smiled, snuffing his cigarette out on the deck. 

“One of us should probably think ahead.” 

“And after that?” 

“You know what will need to happen. If you care at all, you’ll destroy what we’ve all built. There’s no other way. There will be no moving forward otherwise.” 

Berserker flicked the smoke to the ground, stomping it into the ground for a moment before he stood up. 

“Anything I should pass along?” 

Caster snorted. “What would I have to say that I have not already said?” 

“That’s what Prototype said.” 

The runes on his hands glowed again, moving in closer. Caster could see the man loom over him, the tail wrapping around his waist. This was the last time that he would see the other's face. 

Well, until he looked in a mirror. 

"You were the wisest of us," Berserker told him.

Caster snorted, grinning up at him. "That's a bad sign, isn't it?"


	28. Chapter 28

He moved with the energy burning strong within him. Around the corner, through the brush and the trees behind the house.

Eyes closing, he drifted through the streets, letting himself become immersed in the wilderness. He let his tail vanish, his clawed gloves turning to leather ones, his clothes went to a suit. Dressed like the devil himself, he waltzed into the house from before, enjoying the screech of outrage from the boy nearby. 

His arm slammed the boy into the wall, enjoying the particular crawling sound of the worms that came through and tasted their latest prey. 

“W-What do you-“

“Shhh,” Berserker purred, watching the worms moving to touch him more. They gnawed at his skin, making the boy turn pale, his body struggling in the iron grip he had on him. “Shhhh, do you not like your friends?” 

“W-What d-do you w-want with me?” 

“Give them a moment,” he murmured, pulling a bit more of the thin paneling from the wall. More worms. They squirmed and slid across the boy’s body, but they did not touch him. 

There was something not right about he himself that made those worms simply focus on the boy. 

“I-I’ll give you anything you want. J-just don’t let them have me. Don’t- They’re in my clothes! Get them off! Get them off!” 

They were further than that, he thought, watching another slip just beneath the skin. 

The worms had become hungrier, more desperate. They had adapted and changed in their time amongst the walls. They desired more than mere insulation and rot. 

“P-Please. PLEASE!” 

“The one who sent you after Tohsaka…”

“This is about Tohsaka? Fine! Luvia, it’s Luvia!” Shinji squirmed in his hands more, his desperate shrieks growing noisier. “She orchestrated everything! She wants Tohsaka’s little friend. She was going to approach him. She was told about him being in the war but he has no real relations to a lot of the mages and it fascinated her! She wanted to know how he survived so far into the war! She-AH! PLEASE! They’re everywhere!” 

“Keep going.” 

Tears streamed down the boy’s face, but there was movement in his cheeks. He was now noting the worms’ true goals. Death was crossing his path now. He was going to be punished for his lack of strength. 

Not that it mattered. 

“Luvia… Luvia wanted… She saw Tohsaka as a rival. The woman would have attacked her with her familiar staying with Emiya. She thought… if Tohsaka was gone, then she could move on with finding out the truth behind Emiya’s mana… She said something about eternity…”

The boy’s gaze met his. 

“…Please… I’m going to die.” 

He pulled the boy away from the wall, listening to the sigh escape him. 

“Thank you… thank you…” Shinji sighed. “I saw Luvia when she found out about Tohsaka’s familiar. I listened to her rant to herself. I thought to help her, in return for becoming a mage again…” 

He could feel the movement, like a faint breeze to his senses. He could sense the source of where all the worms were coming from. He walked slowly, carefully. 

He stood the boy up on his feet, brushing him off lightly. 

“You wish to become stronger?” 

Shinji nodded, eyeing him cautiously. 

“That’s admirable. Quite admirable. My son also wished to become stronger. He wasn’t much older than you,” Alter told him, turning his body and wrapping his hand around the door handle. 

“I-I know you have a lot of strength. If you and I joined forces-“

He didn’t get to finish that offer. 

A flash of red went through him, the lance pulling out as he fell back- back towards the open doorway now. Cu let his foot stick out, watching those eyes stare in alarm at him as he fell. There was no hard landing for the cushioned and spoiled child though. No, that would have been unfitting. 

The worms provided an excellent comfort to the dying lad. 

They swarmed over him, allowing him a place right next to the rotting body at his side. Looking in, Cu Alter gave a soft sound. 

Perhaps the two others were a poor influence on him. 

Perhaps so, since he moved down the stairs with a calm stride. The worms fled before him, the runes he set upon the ground keeping his path open. He lifted the girl’s body from the floor, brushing off the filth a bit from her face and shaking his head. 

“…help…”

Alter glanced at the boy, smiling. “How admirable. Your strength upon your deathbed is greater than most if you can still speak. Truly, you should thank the woman you helped. She did strengthen you… or perhaps it is merely the worms speaking. Tell me, do you wish for a savior, boy?” 

He tried to move his arms, to reach for him. 

“No?” Alter looked at the dead body in his arms. “Perhaps he should have asked you to speak for him, since even after your death, your timid body language speaks more to me than him. Come along, little girl. We have another to find this night.” 

The scream. 

There was something about a scream, that final one that took the breadth of a man’s gut to exert. There was something so celestial, like the holiest of chimes in the air. It rang in the mind, sang to the blood. It let adrenaline rush and power radiate. Oh, but that sound purred to him, caressed him like the sultry arms of a woman. 

How truly like his own spawn, the kid was. 

The young woman’s body burned quickly, quietly. 

He watched the fire burn for only a few minutes afterwards, closing his eyes. 

Prototype… or perhaps it was Caster’s own mindset making him this way. He was not sure and he was not interested. They wasted his time, enthralled him into these senseless moments and nostalgia. He would silence them for now. 

They were not needed, not necessary. 

“The devil in a suit, burning bonfires at the midnight hour.” The blonde came to his side, glancing between him and the house. “I assume you are the one that has been getting in the way of my work?” 

“You must be Luvia.” 

She glanced over at the house again. “…He’s dead, isn’t he?” 

Cu glanced at the house, giving a grunt. “Perhaps. I believe he was giving his love to the worms when I saw him last.” 

“And your master?” Luvia crossed her arms. “You are a servant, from what I can tell.” 

“I serve myself, or did you think I would simply stand here speaking to you out of interest?” 

A brow perked up, “You were abandoned?” 

“Abandoned is such a kind word. You imply that my little wren allowed me to leave of her own free will. No, she did not abandon me.” He laughed, letting the sound come from deep within him. His eyes opened, runes glowing as he let his teeth show. “There are some people, dear woman, who cannot handle death at their side. The feel of blood on their hands turns their stomach and claws at their skin.” 

Her nose wrinkled faintly. 

“The boy annoyed me,” Alter gave, adjusting his jacket. “I gave him his dues. The girl, the master of which you speak, she… also bothers me.” 

“What do you want?” 

He shrugged. 

“Nothing?” Luvia leaned in a little, hands moving behind her back. “I know that the woman that was her original familiar possesses an artifact of immense healing properties. If we could get that, we could look into the possibility of eternal life.” 

“I am a servant. Eternity is entailed.” 

“You could be free of the servitude,” Luvia purred. “You could be free to do whatever you wanted.” 

Death. 

He wanted to stop the pains of using his weapon, the annoyances that were the sun and the stars around him. He wished for the sinking feeling of the runes that he had adorned himself with to cease so that he could stand amongst the earth and feel as his other selves had felt. 

Freedom was nothing more than a pleasant melody. 

Life, unhindered…

He let the thought permeate him though, letting the temptation of it be misinterpreted from her offer. 

“And you would let me take down my former master,” Alter inquired. 

“I would love nothing more than that,” she replied. 

How very much like that Queen of Connacht. 

She’d love nothing more than her opposition taken down, her ability to have everything she desired in the palm of her hand. She no doubt had offered herself to those who would have been swayed by her body. 

“You will need command spells.” 

She held out her hand. 

The runes he let form sunk deep into those veins, moving through her body as the mark remained steadfast upon her hand. 

A death wish, the sweet kiss of death marked upon her skin. 

He pressed his lips to the runes, watching her stare at him. 

“You will need a location to take the woman,” he tempted further, stroking the runes. “You’ll need somewhere the boy will never know to look. A fight in the city will alert your mark of your intentions.” 

“Smart,” Luvia replied. “I assume you know of a place?” 

“I know of one that would drive the little mage out of her mind, little girl. One that would remind her of all the sins that plague her beating heart.” 

The blonde walked hand in hand with the figure of death, the seeds of her own misfortune sinking in. 


	29. Chapter 29

Sometimes it was very tempting to merely steal his master away and not bother with his other selves.

Lancer opened his eyes, glancing over at the woman asleep before him, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Her hair was strewn about her face so peacefully. Her pale features only felt that much more obvious under the moonlight. 

Strange that he would wake up in the middle of the night like this. 

Normally, once he laid down beside Rin, his mind would simply shut off and he’d be out until dawn. Glancing around, he didn’t see those two useless additions to the household. It would seem Archer and Diarmuid were elsewhere, no doubt becoming well acquainted since they were the odd two out. 

Either that or Prototype was having a good time with them. 

Maybe it would be best to stop him from having too much fun. Lancer pulled the sheets aside, climbing off the large bed and glancing back. 

It was a good thing Archer wasn’t hers. 

He couldn’t imagine her with more command spells. The ones that peeked out underneath her nightgown were enough. She’d probably have them on her arms next. Perhaps even lower-

Wait. 

He climbed back on the bed, pulling her into his arms and checking her person. 

Caster and Prototype’s marks were missing. 

What the hell was going on? 

Glancing towards the window, he could see smoke in the distance, the faint sound of sirens like the warning of war coming to them. 

He needed to go. 

His feet carried him over the threshold of the bedroom, down the stairs of Rin’s home. There wasn’t signs of anyone right now. The other two may have gone to bed. 

Berserker and Caster had been around. Prototype had been around. 

There were still command spells for Berserker. 

If nothing else, he at least knew that the other was alive and well. He knew that the beast of a servant was out there somewhere, doing something. Had he gone after the enemy? Was he fighting right now? 

Sure enough, he could feel mana as he headed towards the fires from before. 

He could sense runes. 

Gazing upon the midnight fires, there was little doubt what had happened. Somehow the fighting had gotten to here. To the home of that murderous leech of a human being that had killed Rin’s sister. He could see a collection of people gathering, a few of the guards for this city were calling for exterminators. 

“The bugs in there ain’t right!” 

They weren’t. 

It seemed that the humans had found the mana eating bugs. Judging by the wounded sitting in the vehicles nearby, being bandaged or sent off, it seemed they had figured out that the bugs were deadly a little late. 

What did this mean though? 

Lancer could feel his mind whirling as he tried to make sense of the scene around him. He kept himself at a distance, but he needed to look for more details. 

Had it been the one behind Rin’s house burning? Had the boy that Rin had gone to see simply gone insane? 

Damn it all. 

Turning, he began to hurry back towards the house. 

Rin was alone in her room and he didn’t know what was going on. He needed to get Diarmuid into Rin’s room, snag that red archer, and then go looking for Berserker. They needed to make sense of things. If they didn’t hurry, they’d be in for another collection of trouble. 

He paused as he stepped foot onto Rin’s yard. 

Berserker sat quietly on the front steps, cigar in mouth and hood up. 

“What are you doing out here?” 

They needed to be investigating things. They needed to be possibly waking up Rin to discuss options. Given, he didn’t give a shit about planning, but, right now, there wasn’t much of a choice. 

Berserker rubbed the burning end of the cigar onto the step beneath him, moving to stand up and summoning his staff. Those eyes drifted over to him. 

“There’s only you and myself left.” 

There was. 

Lancer materialized his own lance, moving himself into a better position. His eyes locked with his berserker self, gaze narrowing. 

“How would you know of that?” 

“How else? We are all pieces of the same person.” Berserker narrowed his gaze a little. “And the games are over. My new master is expecting me back shortly.” 

“You found Rin’s enemy?” 

“I found her.” 

“Save me time after I kill you and tell me who she is.” 

The berserker laughed, the sound echoing in the world around them. It sent a chill down his spine as the man flashed a jagged smile in his direction. 

“Tell you? You seem to be under the impression that I will let you live. In the end, it was you or Prototype that I wanted to finish with…” Those eyes gleamed, “you won only for how close you managed to become with Rin.” 

Bastard. 

Lancer leaped forward, his blade clashing loudly against Berserker’s. He tried to move to use the spikes on the other’s blade to his advantage. He tried to get behind the other, to spin his blade into knocking the other’s grip loose. 

The man was meeting him blow for blow. 

He ducked, the other’s blade swept upwards to meet him. He leaped, the lance that Berserker had was being swung down like a hammer. He parried, the other skulked after him. 

Berserker had more strength for some reason, more power behind him. While being a lancer required strength and agility, there was an absurd amount of stamina behind the other. Each blow had more and more power behind it. Each time he was struck, it felt like more of his muscles were becoming torn. 

Berserker’s blade slammed against his shoulder. 

Warmth ran down. 

There wasn’t time for this. He needed answers! He wouldn’t die this time! 

“Tell me who she is!” 

Berserker had him distracted. Another blow to the same shoulder. There was no doubt that he was bleeding now. There was such soreness and pain coming from that part of himself. He would need immediate healing. 

There was no time now though. 

He switched his stance, letting his other arm take the brunt of the effort with holding and using his lance. Harder. Faster. Stronger. He pushed himself further and further into attacking the Berserker. He needed him dead! 

Caster would have been able to cover his back. 

Prototype would have been at his side or behind the man, helping to take him down. 

The bastard was picking them-

Heat bloomed forth from his chest as he felt his body freeze. He could see Berserker up close, but his grip weakened, the lance falling to the ground only to vanish. 

A hand moved from Berserker’s weapon, runes lighting up with mana. 

“You are talented with your weapon, I will admit,” the berserker told him. 

He could see the weapon running through his chest. His vision was turning to red a moment before he felt that hand press against his face. 

Everything was fading. 

He should have awakened Rin. 

He should have shouted for the other two servants. 

Perhaps a lancer was always doomed to die, he thought as everything turned to black. 

Fate was a damned bitch. 


	30. Chapter 30

Rin woke up to a room that may as well have had everything an inch to the left.

Rather than the warm body of Lancer’s, holding her tight, she found Archer. What’s more, she found Gae Bolg beneath the sheets. She moved to sit up, but her gaze dropped to her hands. 

She leaped from the bed, running to the mirror in an instant before she began to curse. 

“Rin?” 

“Archer! Get up!” Rin sprinted to his side, pulling the nightshirt up and turning around. “Is there any command spell on my back?” 

“Two.” 

“Shit.” Rin pulled her shirt back down, running through the doorway. It was impossible. The lancers had mentioned that Berserker’s was on her back. Lancer was on her chest. 

She had liked the fact that Lancer was there. A constant in the midst of all the chaos. With three out of four sets of seals gone, it left her only to assume the worst. 

“Good morning, Rin.” Diarmuid nodded his head, earning an impatient wave. 

“Where’s Lancer?” 

“He went out with Berserker early this morning. They seem to have taken Caster and Prototype with them. I only had the chance to speak to Caster for a moment last night and I haven’t met Prototype yet.” 

“No… no no no no…” Rin began to head for the door when Archer pulled her to a stop, carefully dressed once more. 

“Where are you going?” 

“Let me go, Archer. Something is wrong.” 

“Rin, let’s think rationally.” 

“Diarmuid, I need you to find Cu Chulainn-“

“Rin,” Archer stopped her from continuing, holding her close. “We need to focus. Lancer has most likely left to go get something or to gather the others. If he wandered out with Berserker, it might be for something Berserker needs. Let’s not panic right now.” 

“The command spells are missing from three of the four places. Something’s happened.” 

“You’re thinking like Shirou does.” Archer let her go, pushing her towards the kitchen. “Or Lancer. Think. Plan. Let’s work from what information we’ve gathered.” 

Rin looked up at him a moment before sprinting towards the basement. 

Caster had started working with the information she had and the information from the phone card. If they had gone against the mage or person who had ordered the hit… 

There was a chance that Berserker was barely alive while the others…

“Diarmuid! Archer!” Rin motioned them to hurry up, holding the door for them. 

“As animated as ever.” Archer sighed, coming over, but not following through with descending to the basement. “Find your information. I’ll make something to eat and we can plan this properly.” 

“Fine.” 

“Rin,” Archer stepped closer. “I know that you are concerned for him, but the loss of spells does not mean that he is gone. There are reasons and ways spells can be removed. You saw it with me, you will see it again in the future. You still have Berserker, Diarmuid, and myself.” 

“Your necklace won’t be enough if we attack our enemy.” 

“Then it’s time to form a contract.” 

“It is.” 

Archer stopped her just short as she tried to head downstairs. His hands held onto her carefully. “Rin, I don’t think I need to tell you, should things be as bad as you’re assuming…”

“Let’s not think about it.” 

“If things are as bad as you’re assuming.” 

“Archer…”

“I need you to think about this wisely. If he’s gone, you will have to accept that. You will need to continue the fight-“

“I’ll continue it.” 

The man just sighed, going to speak only for Diarmuid to step behind her. The lancer’s hand pressed onto her shoulder. “Is this what you wanted, Rin?” 

“What is it?” 

“A name.” 

Rin spun around at the news, but Diarmuid held up a hand. “Before that, I have other findings.” 

“What did you find?” 

Diarmuid held up the book carefully, the pages etched over. “I’m not fluent in the same way as some of the knights at home were, but this,” he motioned at the writing, curling, lengthy text that was impossible to read, “this is not describing anything you would be happy to hear about. Someone was looking to combine servants.” 

“Combine servants?” 

Rin shut her eyes. 

Of course. Combining the mana output would be beneficial. What better way to gain power than to combine your halves back together. The energy she had given off to accommodate all four of them would be enough to let one do a great deal of damage. He would be able to use the runes and his noble phantasm multiple times. 

If that were true, then she needed Diarmuid and Archer with a lot more power. 

“Archer,” Rin looked over at the man. “I need you to call Shirou. I’ll look up areas where this person could be hiding out.” 

“If Berserker is combining servants-“

Rin held up a hand, stopping Archer in his tracks with thinking along those lines. “You mentioned wanting servants with long distance. Here we are. I’m going to need your talents more than ever. Diarmuid and I will focus on the person Caster found. You’ll be on Berserker duty.” 

“I’ll contact Shirou.” 

Rin motioned for Diarmuid to follow her, settling behind a computer as Archer tried to call Shirou. 

And then tried again. 

The man moved into the other room as Rin began to work. Diarmuid settled at her side, looking over the way she navigated for a moment before tapping her shoulder. 

“Would you like me to help?” 

“I think I can manage to get online.” 

Another few minutes and Diarmuid moved her, depositing her next to him where he had been sitting prior. The man typed away at the keyboard, the screen popping up with a half dozen different articles before she could argue. 

“How do you know how to use a computer?” 

“It’s not terribly difficult,” Diarmuid replied, continuing to search through the internet. “In fact, the last time I was summoned, my master was quite adamant on me learning to use such things. I don’t think he was fond of technology. I think it was more appreciated by younger people such as yourself-“ he cut off himself, glancing over at her as she sulked next to him. 

The man could use a computer and she was still trying to figure out how to use the televisions in the house. 

“Technology is useless for mages. We have our mana and there are better things we could be doing with our time than playing with computers and gadgets,” she told him. 

Diarmuid smiled gently. “I see it.” 

“See what?” 

“I see why you attract attention wherever you go. Last night at the restaurant, with your servants, everyone. Even when you sulk, you seem to command attention.” He turned away, resuming his typing and pulling up more information. “Of course, I suppose that works the same way for me as well.” 

“I don’t command attention.” 

“It’s endearing.” He replied easily. “Don’t fret about it too greatly, Rin.” 

She huffed again, waiting as Archer returned to the room and set a cup of tea down. 

“Did you get Shirou?” 

“Nothing.” 

Rin leaned closer to Diarmuid, ignoring the man’s tensing up as she looked at the screen. “So this Luvia person is who we’re after then?” 

“It would seem so.” 

The woman didn’t look much older than her. 

“She’s a mage,” Diarmuid confirmed. “There’s record of her with the Mages Association. Deep in their archives.” 

“I could have guessed by the last name.” 

“How are you using the computer and getting information on the Mages Association?” Archer frowned as the man pat the chair on his other side. 

“Come. My old master was part of the association. A backstabbing bastard who deserves death when I see him again, but that’s another story.” 

“If you would like to explain how you are getting in,” Archer began. 

“I still remember his password. For some reason, mages seem quite useless with technology. They didn’t change his information or take him out of the system.” 

Archer’s gaze just flickered to her, nodding. “I’ve seen similar issues with mages in my time.” 

“Your fancy techniques are nice and all, but we have a mage to find. Can your computer and internet tell us where to find them?” 

Or they could just go out. She could keep Gae Bolg close. They could meander until they found the mana output that Berserker was no doubt giving off. She could command the beast to kill himself after they got to the woman. 

Or just kill the woman who had tried to kill her and then himself. 

“What are you thinking, Rin?” 

Diarmuid pulled up another page and smiled. “She’s staying outside of town according to this.” 

“So we just search the outs- She’s at Einsbern Castle, isn’t she?” 

“Most likely,” Archer replied, still watching her closely. 

“We need to attack while it’s early.” Rin picked up the phone. “Eat. I’m rested enough that we can move right after breakfast. I’m going to look at what information downstairs might be about familiars. I’d rather not risk anything with Berserker around so I’ll take you on, Archer, but as a familiar. It might be a more direct way to get mana from me too.” 

“I think it’s more keeping things level between us,” Diarmuid replied. 

“Berserker helped bring you into this world though. That fact might make mana flow through him first.” Thinking aloud was helping. She headed away from them with that being said. The two men would make her wait if she lingered. They would tease and make comments until she was persuaded that they needed to wait and that they needed to prepare more. 

But she didn’t let them. 

There wasn’t much time. 

From what she’d seen of the Einsbern place, it was still in shambles. Berserker would be using the same rooms as before. He would be putting down the same barriers that she had seen around the house. That made it easier. Caster had shown her enough while she had been down. 

Archer could hide in the trees. 

Diarmuid and her could enter from the side. An upfront attack would let her take down their opposition easily. 

Still, the plan relied on Berserker going after her or Archer. Archer would be more risky, but they would be more distanced combat. Archer could buy her time to get into place. 

She spent a half hour pouring through the books before she risked making Archer a familiar. 

He would need to be one. There wasn’t a choice in the matter. She could understand the blowback from what she was doing tomorrow. Maybe find a solution if it was a bad plan down the line. She would have her whole life to decide what to do, but she would have to do this now or there wouldn’t be a life. 

Archer stood before her after the spell though, his attire finer, armor more defined than before. A trim along the sleeves hummed with energy as he made a decisive hum. 

“You’ve improved.” 

“We need to move. If Berserker took away the others, then it means he means to betray us. I’d rather take away the opportunity to have another servant betray me.” 

“So I need to get Berserker away?” He moved forward, tilting her chin back. 

“Don’t-“

“Rin,” He must have seen the way Lancer had held her face so many times over the past few weeks. That or it was some love language that her body could only connect to the man. Her face heated up in his hands, her throat tightening. “Rin,” Archer murmured again, leaning in close. “I know you may not want to, but I would like to remind you that those emotions of yours need turned off. We either kill Berserker or you die. Don’t let there be a plan C.” 

“I’m closing myself off from other options,” she replied. 

Those eyes looked her over again, the same kind of look Shirou always gave her when she tried to take things one step further. He didn’t believe her. 

But he took a step back, nodding as he turned away. 

“Then forgive me. It looked like you were still hoping to get him back. We’ll kill the rabid dog before he kills anyone else important.” 

“I-I didn’t realize you found Lancer important.” 

“I didn’t.” Archer looked over his shoulder at her, “but I happened to hold Prototype in higher regard.” 

Rin just stared after him as he left. 


	31. Chapter 31

There was little doubt that his master would be on the way.

She would notice the spells gone. She would know what had happened. He stood near the blonde mage, yawning slightly to rid himself of the nagging sense of self-betrayal. 

“I don’t understand so explain this again, how is stealing you away from Rin going to assist me? And the boy too, not necessarily my type, although I suppose there is a charm there…” Luvia- as she liked to be known- was talking again. A serious issue with bullheaded mages, it seemed. Shirou and Saber had spoken so much he had knocked them out just for peace. 

But this woman was reserved for Rin to kill, couldn’t attack when she was too weak. 

Truly, he could feel the mana flow and failed to be impressed. 

“Rin insists on close contact with her servants and peers,” he told her. “She’ll come.” 

Luvia sighed, settling on the steps. “Unbelievable. I have to come all the way here just to prove myself for instruction on the Holy Grail War and find out someone my age is roaming around after winning the grail, having a deep relationship with a man, and treating the only other true mage in town like dogshit. This whole thing makes my blood boil.” 

“You attacked her out of jealousy?” 

“No, just encouraged others to act on their feelings.” Luvia smiled. “I don’t kill people, but I will soon. My family will become the most notable as I bring about the next Holy grail war and win the grail. It is something of a prize, isn’t it? Something no noble family would be able to resist.” 

Berserker went to speak when he felt it. 

Radiant energy, multiple persons, and the same allure as ever. 

There was little doubt that Caster’s work had done something irreversible to Rin… Or perhaps Rin had just been accentuated to a point of absurdity. 

Whatever the case, he felt the bond between them like a lead rope. His entire being yearned to leave the room, find her, drag her back to her chambers, and power her up to a level where he could destroy everything else and hoard her. 

It was Lancer’s and Prototype’s feelings lingering in his system that wanted to hold her and keep her safe. Admitting it did nothing though. He still found himself moving forward, pulling out his weapon. 

“If you want a grail war, you’ll need Rin dead.” 

“Fine,” Luvia stood up, preparing a stance for using magecraft. “I think I can take one mage if you keep her servant at bay. You said there was just a weak lancer?” 

“I did.” 

The door opened, the duo walking in. 

The thing about irony is that it’s never expected. One doesn’t expect to betray their master to serve their master. One never expects to destroy one’s self to repair one’s self. 

And one doesn’t expect the one who trained them to be dressed as the one they trained. 

The gold plates are what he noticed first. The dark violet attire hugged her every curve as she stepped inside, walking alongside Diarmuid easily. Those blue eyes looked up at them, reading the situation in only true Rin fashion. 

She had a plan in place. 

Which was what he wanted, in the end. 

“Oi,” She pointed Gae Bolg up at them, focused on Luvia. “You stole Shirou, didn’t you?” 

Truly? A part of him growled at the sound of that boy’s name. He had betrayed her and the first name out of her mouth was him? 

“I didn’t steal him, he’s just going to be a prize for once I’m finished.” Luvia smiled down at her. “I think this area could use some adjustment. I mean really- you’re running around looking like these idiotic servants, fighting with your neighbors and being given allowances that are not typically given to mages. Someone needs to put you in your place.” 

“Diarmuid, I’ll leave Luvia to you,” the brunette commanded. 

The lancer at her side went into position. “Understood.” 

“Oh? You don’t feel like fighting me yourself?” Luvia cooed. 

“I have no need to fight someone incapable of proving to be a worthy opponent,” she told the woman. Berserker’s mind flickered, the world around them echoing with memories in his mind’s eye. The same smile she held in bed. The same she held when she patronized her enemies from where she had been tied up…

He lunged first, watching her defend herself with her lance. Her body sprung back, their blades hitting the floors as Diarmuid struck out towards Luvia. 

Anything Luvia may have wanted to say was drowned now, lost in the blood and battle. 

He angled their fight, forcing the duo outside. Luvia sprinted off into the woods, followed close at hand as he slammed a foot against the doors, leaving it to himself and Rin. 

As it should be. 

It was beyond all understanding for her to be able to store and power herself to the levels that she was at. Even when he had worked to improve Shirou while Luvia looked away, his work had been slow. He had only increased the amount of energy required for Saber to be stronger. A second servant would still weaken the boy to nothingness. 

But not Rin. 

Not his Rin. 

The fluttering of the veil and her hair only accentuated the power level difference. Like his mentor who had adorned that attire before, Rin’s abilities were far greater than his own. Still, he despised how she utilized herself. Setting herself amongst the weak, settling and compromising rather than tearing apart the opposition and pushing herself to and beyond her limits. Had she not settled for Lancer, had she not focused on learning from Caster, had she not laughed with Prototype…

Her body flung back as he landed a blow to her chest. The air left her lungs, eyes widening as she lost ground. Her back hit the stairs before she climbed. 

Smart. 

She was so damn smart. 

He gave chase, as all wild animals would. They sprinted through the corridors as a scream reached the house. They moved along the hallway, Rin’s hands touching the walls only to set them ablaze. She was using everything in her arsenal. 

The same runes Lancer had used before too. 

He frowned as he turned a corner, finding her gone. Smoke was beginning to rise behind him. 

Shutting his eyes, he tried to find the mana flow over the mana kindled fire. 

“Move him slowly,” a voice whispered. “Archer and Diarmuid will cover you.” 

“What about-“

“I’ve got him right where I need him.” 

Berserker slammed his foot through the door, watching Saber rise up. Her weapon’s flow of power was unmistakable. Rin lunged at him as Shirou lay unconscious nearby. 

The floor broke apart at the weight and pressure of their bodies and their blows. 

She was going in the opposite direction…

All he could see were Lancer’s memories. They were outside, with Rin using her lance to lunge at him and hit him. She failed. 

But Rin pushed herself back with her lance, landing against Saber only to shove towards him. The extra movement sent Saber flying back and Rin focused Gae Bolg. 

A jolt of pain slammed through his chest, just around the shoulder. Her hands shoved it in deeper, those eyes just before his own. Her foot was on his lance, knocking it away as they landed violently on the main floor. A bedroom, judging by the look of it. 

He choked. 

“Rin!” 

“Take Shirou and run, Saber!” 

The fire descended from above, cascading to the ground around them like a rainstorm of fire and whirlwind of smoke. It filled the lungs, infested the senses. But she was close. She could see the monster before her. 

Her eyes glowed, her grip on Gae Bolg never faltering. 

“You improved,” he coughed. 

“I don’t tolerate betrayal,” Rin growled. 

He laughed. Had to. She had focused on that of all things? 

Had he betrayed her? He had combined himself back together with his other parts, strengthened her power to a level bordering on madness, taught her ways to memorize the runes Caster had wanted to impart on her, healed her body to a point where no one would suspect she had ever been in a fire; and then, when her enemy had been close, he had sniffed her out, coming up with the whole scenario so she could kill the woman. 

And she had handed the death warrant to her servants, challenging him. 

She had called him a betrayer, a beast. 

“You’re naïve.” He ran a hand over her cheek, watching her try to deny the temptation to savor it. Her mind and her body were at war now. No matter how much she hated him in her head, the body knew its own counterpart. 

He dematerialized the gloves from his hands, receding the claws. 

Her body trembled, the lance moving to make the pain that much worse. 

The smart woman had twisted her weapon, quickening death’s embrace on him before he could say his peace. 

“I’m still here,” he told her. The blood rising in the back of his throat earned him a coughing fit, worsening the shock now that he could see the blood on the lance. 

“…What do you mean?” 

Leaning up, Berserker felt his hood fall back. His grip on the woman tightened, his lips pressing to hers. 

His lance was out of reach. Killing her for what she had done to him was impossible. He would simply take her heart with him. He would steal away her peace of mind with Lancer. 

She squirmed, eyes clouding as she hit him. 

“Don’t you dare-“

“You did much better with that maneuver this time, Rin.” He closed his eyes, grinning. “I’m glad you figured out not to let go of your lance like before. It was perfect form. I couldn’t counter that.” 

The scream that came from above was unparalleled, echoing in the room before he felt the last of the mana leave him. Those blue eyes were rimmed in red now, something clear streaming down her cheeks as she realized what she’d done. 

“It’s been fun, Master.” 

“Lanc-“

The sound of the beams collapsing nearby overtook the sounds of her scream. 


	32. Chapter 32

Rin didn’t move.

Even as the lance in her hands disappeared and the body vanished from under her. Even as the world around her erupted into flames, she didn’t move. 

Diarmuid appeared after a time, sprinting forward to wrap his arms around her. His lance spun outwards, slamming against the wall before he sprinted outside through the opening he had made. The building was crumbling behind them as Rin stared back. 

It hurt to feel. 

It hurt to think. 

So she didn’t do either. 

Archer was speaking to Saber and Shirou, glancing their way as they made it to the road. Saber shook her head. 

“It doesn’t make sense, Archer. Shirou should be weaker, not stronger. I think something else was going on.” 

“Berserker never betrayed us.” 

They all paused, Rin’s grip on Diarmuid tight as she spoke. 

“Rin?” 

“He was planning something. I don’t understand him at all, but he planned this whole thing. I think what probably happened was he did to Shirou what he had tried to do to me.” Successfully, she added mentally. He had increased the power of her mana by such a length. Both Archer and Diarmuid were able to fight, fully functional and with power to spare. 

He must have been trying to help Shirou. 

Shirou was her ally after all, it would make sense to help strengthen him. 

“It feels like I’ve run for miles though,” Shirou told them, holding onto Saber. “I don’t remember what happened after we got to the restaurant anyway. What happened with Shinji?” 

“He ran off,” Archer replied easily. The man’s eyes never left hers as Rin kept a grip on Diarmuid. “I imagine it would be wise to tip off the police at this point to investigate Sakura’s disappearance.” 

“Sakura? What-“

“Go home,” Archer told him. “Rest. We can discuss this at a later time. Diarmuid and I have a body to burn and a master to take home.” 

“Taiga will be waiting,” Saber added, nodding. “I think we told her dinner would be at the house tonight.” 

“What about the house? It’s the middle of the day-“

“Go home, Emiya Shirou.” Archer motioned him away, his clothes already changing into normal attire. “Bystanders will be coming at any moment.” 

The two moved, leaving the scene immediately. 

Diarmuid stopped the man from speaking to her, shaking his head. “Don’t. There’s nothing to be said right now.” 

“The fact that he had us come-“

“Nothing,” Diarmuid repeated. “Let the event die with the house, Emiya.” 

“Did they tell you-“

“You share similarities to the kid. It’s little surprise once I compared you both.” He motioned them forward, walking ahead of them both. “I happen to think Emiya would be a good name for you.” 

“Archer works.” 

“Ah, just until we run into another Archer though.” 

“Then you can call me Red Archer.” 

Diarmuid laughed, shaking his head. “Ashamed of your past self that much?” 

“The kid has no value.” 

Rin leaned against Diarmuid, trying to breathe. She couldn’t hold herself back much longer. Her façade was crumbling and she could feel it. 

“Then we’ll just call the kid Shirou like Rin does and you can be Emiya. I’m sure there’s other Emiyas in the world that do justice to your name. Besides, if you do archery, won’t he do it as well.” 

The other man let out a grunt before quickening his pace, walking alongside them. “You may call me Emiya, I suppose.” 

“I have to commend you on your ability to know when to intervene. Allowing me to complete the fight and only interfere when she summoned those golems was honorable of you.” 

“I don’t appreciate unfair fights.” 

“Neither do I.” 

“Unless I happen to have the advantage,” he amended, smirking. 

“I don’t think you believe that.” 

They were getting close. Rin could feel the barrier as the two men continued their conversation. The gentle hum of the barrier around the house had decreased. Most likely because the ones holding the barrier were gone. 

They slipped into the house without a word, Archer moving to the phone as Diarmuid simply set a book in her hands and went to make something to eat. Staring at the same page, Rin’s mind flickered through everything. 

It was too fast. 

Everything had slipped by in a blur. 

She had been burned, healed, gained allies, found out her sister betrayed her, found out another mage was trying to kill her, and lost her servants in such a short time. 

What’s more, she could see scribbles on the margins of the book Diarmuid had given her. Bits and pieces of information were scribbled away. 

Caster’s final gift, no doubt. 

He had spoken to her only when she was healing, opting to busy himself with this or that afterwards. While Lancer had-

She continued to stare at the book as the world revolved around her, tracing the carefully scribed words on the page. 

The man had probably busied himself with her books, wanting to help increase her knowledge without stealing her time away with the others. 

She hadn’t gotten enough time with Prototype either. 

They were all Lancer in the end, but-

“Rin,” Archer nudged her. “It’s past midnight now. You need to go to bed.” 

She nodded weakly, shutting the book and heading up the stairs. Heading down the hall to her room, Rin found herself hovering at the threshold. 

It wasn’t her room. 

Her room had burned in the fire. It’s small canopy bed had collapsed on her, just like the floor had broken apart and left her bleeding and dying on the main floor of the house. She had been given no choice but to find someone-

“Archer!” 

The man was at her side in an instant. 

“I… I can’t…” Rin looked up at him. “I don’t think I am capable of sleeping alone tonight.” 

With a sigh, Archer wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into the room and towards the bed. He tucked her in swiftly, motioning for Diarmuid to join when the man came to see what was going on. But it didn’t feel the same. 

Their bodies were built slightly different. Their hair was short, leaving her without any length of hair other than her own to be wary of. Neither of them pressed themselves against her, remaining at a healthy distance. 

So she lay there, pretending to sleep. Avoiding the conversation that would ensue if they suspected that she was restless. 

By dawn, when the birds began to chirp and the men finally left, Rin felt her last string be cut. The emotions took over. Her pillows grew dark circles as they became damp. 

She had killed a loyal servant. 


	33. Chapter 33

“Diarmuid!” Saber waved over at the man as he wiped his hands off, answering the door. “We came to visit.”

“Rin’s not really receiving yet.” 

“Tohsaka needs to get out.” Shirou pushed his way in, calling after the woman as the lancer just sighed. 

This wasn’t the first time he had tried this tactic. It was just the first time in a few days. 

“She that bad?” 

“She tried summoning a familiar last night and used up almost all her energy again,” he told her, motioning her towards the kitchen. 

Over the past couple weeks, he and Archer had been trying to reach her. They cleaned the house, readied the rooms for winter months, gardened around the perimeter. The house looked back to its original state, with fresh greenery and well kept interiors. But Rin and her chambers had been impossible to change. 

The one time they had tried to pull the sheets from the bed and change them for plain, simple sheets; Rin had come into the offense in a flurry of motion. Her abilities with a lance were only improving more with the basement purchases she had made. 

Her body was slimmer, either from lack of eating, extra training, or a mixture of the two. 

She could materialize a weapon to hand and she could kill with it. 

He and Archer hadn’t touched her room after the attack. They simply directed the woman to bed after three in the morning arrived and held her while she slept. 

“Rin is mourning. It’ll take time for her to adjust.” 

In the meantime, he and Archer were careful to wear the mana infused necklaces, not wanting to repeat the weakened state they had been as Rin had almost used up all the mana between them all to try to summon Lancer. 

Cu Chulainn was a strong fighter and a man with an odd sense of humor, but he couldn’t have imagined a master this loyal. 

Several times, he had to wonder about whether pursuing a relationship of that nature with her. 

“Rin is a difficult woman,” Archer had told him. “She stays very stubborn and focused until things force her to change. I don’t think trying to be close to her in that way would work right now. Let her get through grieving first. We can consider our master in that way later.” 

Saber settled on a chair in the kitchen, looking around. “The house looks nice.” 

“It’s nice not to have enemies,” Archer told her simply. 

“I should work on things,” Diarmuid pulled his laptop from nearby, turning it on as Archer nodded. 

Work gave him purpose. 

Out of the last couple of weeks, getting himself hired as a Mage Association technology person had been one of the best decisions he had made. Little actual contact, the chance to insult mages after the fourth holy grail war, and a paycheck coming his way; it gave him drive. It gave the world around a bit of color. 

Archer was also more than happy to work alongside him at times, helping him come up with new colorful phrases for the ancient inbred idiots that called themselves mages. 

“I was thinking about a job,” Saber stated, watching him beginning to type away at the computer. “It would probably help Shirou with expenses and his birthday is coming up soon. I thought it might be nice.” 

“It gives us something to do other than clean,” Archer dismissed. 

“Has Rin done anything?” 

“She started remoting in her work for school,” Diarmuid told her. “We lost that fight to get her to go to the school and we lost the fight to get her to let us change her room. At this point, we’re lucky that Rin hasn’t decided she doesn’t need us anymore.” 

“She appreciates you both.” 

The two men snorted. 

“She does.” Saber motioned Archer to sit and shook her head. “You both pointed out that she’s grieving and she probably needs the time to sort through things. She was around the lancers since the fire months ago. She only had them and they were close, weren’t they?” 

“Tearing up lovers is always messy,” Diarmuid agreed, accepting a cup of coffee from Archer. 

A tumbling sound came from upstairs, the sound of blades striking only making Archer sigh. 

“Would you like me to stop her?” 

“I can handle it.” Archer pulled himself to his feet as Saber stared up towards the ceiling. 

“Is Shirou-“

“Here,” Archer pushed a plate of pastries her way. “Enjoy. I’ll bring Shirou down in one piece before he kills himself and me.” 

He disappeared without any arguments from Saber, the woman busying herself with the food as the crashing and clanging sounds from upstairs increased for a few minutes. By the time things quietened, Archer returned, totting a boy under his arm. 

“She needs to leave!” 

“Sit down before she kills you.” 

Shirou huffed, falling into a seat. His cheeks were healing as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Deep gashes in his arms were slowly closing as he brought the cup to his lips. 

“I assume she didn’t want to leave?” 

“I told her that he was dead and nothing would make him come back. We have to accept his death just as much as we have to accept Sakura’s death.” 

Archer groaned, leaning against him as Diarmuid paused in his work. 

“Damn, Shirou,” Diarmuid whistled. “And they say my luck with women was poor. Words like that will earn you death at anyone’s hand.” 

“I told you he’s shameful,” Archer murmured. 

“I thought it would get her to chase me outside and that I could calm her down by showing her the world again. Maybe drag her while she’s angry to the bus stop to wander into the city or maybe at least feel some sunlight.” 

“She doesn’t really care for sunlight.” 

“Who’s fault is that?” 

They all went quiet. It was theirs and hers. Hers for being impossible. Theirs for not trying hard enough. Together, they had allowed her to close the curtains, blocking the sunlight as she practiced runework by day and lancework by night. Her lithe body was composed of more muscle and magic knowhow to put any servant to shame. 

“We need to give her time,” Diarmuid offered. “In a few weeks, when she plans to travel with you to London to train with the Mages Association, we can try again to reach her. She may become more agreeable when she has no choice but to leave this house. Emiya has decided to try playing the “what would he want you to do” card at that point.” 

“Emiya?” Shirou frowned. 

“I am welcome to my own name,” Archer told him easily, “considering that Diarmuid avoids being called Lancer for obvious reasons, it seemed only appropriate for me to also use my real name in this household.” 

Saber just gave him a look, choosing to remain silent as Shirou nodded. “I guess.” 

“What’s more, considering the relationship I have established and my preference for men-“

“What?!” 

“Oh? Did you not explore such options yet?” The man covered his mouth, turning away slightly, “My apologies. I figured you would have guessed, after being around such strong passioned women for so long…”

Diarmuid carefully moved closer to Saber as the argument began, Emiya’s knowing smirk taunting the boy on further. Every carefully worded phrase, every condescending look. 

They had accidentally kissed once. Diarmuid shook his head at the other’s nonsense. 

Archer was quite a gentleman, all things considered. 

“I don’t have to take this,” Shirou argued. 

“You take it quite well, lasting long enough for many who are interested-“

“STOP!” 

Archer’s laugh drifted through the room as Shirou began to tug at Saber. 

“Emiya, let the boy breathe.” 

“Yes, I’m with Diarmuid on this one,” Saber agreed. 

Another cup of coffee and plate of pastries came their way. They quietened down and watched the chaos without hesitation. 

It took hours for the two to stop arguing, their disagreement running into various topics as Diarmuid settled into a low conversation with Saber. With the argument progressing, the two began to bang around the cabinets, beginning to cook side by side. 

Had it been the first time this had happened, perhaps he or Saber would have done something. However, it was like this every time. 

Every single time. 

The house had more baked goods than any of the cafes he and Archer had wandered out to. Pastries, tarts, leftover soups and meats in the fridge; the two were either at one another about themselves or critiquing one another’s abilities as a mage or cook. 

He had begun to teach Saber about computers whenever things progressed this way. 

By the time food was prepared, he had instructed the woman through navigating the internet and how to set up her own banking account. The food on the table drew them away from the work, wisely keeping quiet that the food seemed to taste decent no matter who made it. 

“Shirou’s has something special to it,” Saber told them. 

“Emiya’s has a good presentation. It’s obvious he has more experience in these things.” 

Emiya just hummed appreciatively, squeezing his shoulder before he headed for the door. 

“Going to feed master?” 

“She needs to eat. Can you see these two out?” 

“Go ahead. Maybe you can reach her.” 


	34. Chapter 34

Rin materialized her dressing gown on the moment she heard the knock on the door. Setting the blowdryer down, she looked over at Archer, sighing.

“I went too far today.” 

“You did.” 

They both went silent, Rin’s attention going back to brushing out the tangles in her hair. 

“Rin.” The man moved forward quietly, setting the dinner tray on a table nearby before he came up behind her. His hands drifted down the sleeves of the gown. 

And for a moment, she could close her eyes, feel rather than think. It felt nice to feel again. 

His head drifted close to her ear as he murmured to her. “You’ve been increasing your mana intake again, haven’t you?” 

“Hmm?” 

He wrapped his arms around her body immediately, carrying her immediately towards the bed. Rather than throwing her down and telling her to eat like he normally did, he settled onto the bed himself, setting her on top of his waist. 

His hands went to the small of her back, pushing her close. 

“You can’t go on like this.” 

“I won’t have to much longer-“

“You. Cannot. Go on. Like this.” He tangled a hand in her hair, forcing her to look him in the eyes. His lips pressed against hers lightly. “I can’t replace him. I can’t tell you to forget him, but I’m here. I’m flesh and blood and breathing at your command, Rin. Diarmuid as well. You owe it to us. You owe us the opportunity to enjoy your presence and serve under you.” 

Rin nodded, letting herself get a little closer. “I know. It’s just hard right now-“

“It’s impossible right now.” 

It was. She couldn’t unsee the blood on her hands. 

“It’s impossible because you aren’t living anymore, Rin.” Archer brushed her hair back. “You aren’t trying to do anything that Lancer would have wanted you to be doing. You wasted his sacrifice by hiding away and training. You’re a mage, not a servant.” 

“I can’t let him go.” 

“You have to.” 

He pulled up the sleeves of the gown, wiping at the runes he found. “You have to stop for now, Rin. There will only be more pain if you don’t.” 

“One more try.” 

“You nearly killed yourself last time and you slept for three days.” 

“One more try.” Rin held his shoulders, shaking her head. “Let me have the opportunity to do it one more time and I will stop. I’ll wipe away the circle in the basement. I’ll train in magecraft with you. I’ll wander to coffeeshops with you and Diarmuid.” 

“And London?” 

“I’ll take Diarmuid and go to London. We’ll go shopping and learn more from the Mages Association. I won’t think back before this night. Just- I need to try again. I have to try again. I think I know where I was going wrong.” 

“You eat downstairs.” 

“Every night after tonight.” 

“And the fighting with Shirou.” 

“Ends. Entirely. I’ll apologize and visit him to make up for all the times I’ve fought with him,” she offered quickly, holding onto him more. 

The white haired man hummed, tilting his head a little as he watched her. A teasing smile came to his features as he watched her. “I don’t have any issues with you fighting him, actually, but do me the favor of killing him.” 

“Asshole.” She smacked him, watching the grin develop more. His lips pressed her hers once more. 

“God, but I missed you.” 

“I’ve been here the whole time, idiot.” 

“You haven’t been here though.” He held her close, moving his lips to her neck. “You flinch from every touch and order everyone away.” 

“Archer…”

“I’ll let you have tonight, Rin. One more try, but when it doesn’t work, I need you to let him go. Let him go before he drags you into the grave with him.” 

She left him the moment he agreed, stumbling out of the room before she was caught. He dragged her back by the hair, slamming the door shut. 

“Eat first. Then magecraft.” 

“Fine, jeez.” She rubbed at her hair lightly. 

She ate, sitting across from him as he massaged her feet. The sound of the door shutting and dishes clinking in the sink were the only signs that anyone else was around. 

She should have been downstairs, sitting and talking with Diarmuid, but it was hard. Incredibly hard. He was another lancer, similar in shape and form with Cu Chulainn. Every time he got serious or upset, his jaw would lock up the way Lancer’s had. 

God, he had a lope when he walked that reminded her of him. Seeing him was painful. 

“Is there anything I can help you with,” Archer asked, looking over the stack of books nearby. 

“Not offhand. I’ll be working in the basement for a while.” 

“Let me know what supplies you’ll need if you find yourself lacking anything.” 

Rin stared at him, unable to help it. Of all people, Archer wasn’t one who she would have expected to be so attached to the idea of her summoning Lancer back. To be fair, he wasn’t necessarily supporting, but he wasn’t pushing her away from it like Shirou and Saber. He listened. When she collapsed, he simply carried her up to bed. 

Watching the man sipping tea with her, she had to admit things weren’t at their worst. 

She had her health. She had two very loyal and accommodating familiars. 

Very accommodating…

“Archer.” 

“What is it?” 

“How do you manage to let go of people?” 

The man stared at her a moment, his face an open book before he scowled slightly. He set down the cup and looked towards the windows. “How I let people go?” 

“Shirou is so close to people, but you don’t seem to regret losing anyone like he does. Even Sakura, he mourns her so much.” 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head. “I mourn, much like you. I prefer my alone time and time to breathe. I immerse myself in my work and strength. Becoming like me is unadvisable though, Rin. You need to continue your studies and living life in a manner that fits your interests.” 

“I should have asked questions, Archer. I didn’t even try to talk to him. I just attacked. I let the loss be the focus and aimed to just kill him.” 

“War does things to everyone, Rin. Right now, the Mages Association is in the area, trying to understand how Luvia died.” 

“They’ll never be able to understand how she died. They’ll just blame Shinji for killing Sakura.” 

“Let’s not give them reason to suspect you. When they arrive in the next few days, we’ll need you to stop trying to summon and focus on telling them what they need to hear in order to leave.” 

Rin nodded. “Do you think they’ll believe me?” 

“You are a Tohsaka. They’ll believe whatever you decide to tell them. However, they won’t believe you are sick much longer.” 

They had pushed the Association away enough times that she had begun to hope that they would give up, but instead they had continued to agree to later dates. The family had come to collect the burned remains of Luvia’s body. They had investigated around the Einsbern Castle until the Einsbern family had pushed everyone away and begun rebuilding. 

Still, the Association would investigate until all possibilities were gone. She was one of the last few pieces. El-Melloi would be visiting soon enough. 

One more time. 

She would try one more time to summon Lancer and then she would figure something out. Telling El-Melloi that the house had burned down and she had been in recovery would be enough. The Association had record of her requesting assistance in terms of school and needing time to heal. She would limp and lean against things for the visit and then there would be no need to worry. 

Diarmuid and Archer were planning to wander out for the visit. They would be gone shortly after dawn. 

“If I use too much energy in the summoning attempt,” Rin began. “Would you mind leaving notice with the mage coming to visit? He could visit me while I’m in bed. And lock up after himself.” 

“He would no doubt not question your weakened state, but that might harm your opportunity to study in London.” 

She sipped at her tea quietly, waiting. 

“I will leave notice for him, but please bear in mind that you will need to be awake.” 

“I will do what I need to do.” 

She would too. Kissing his cheek as he picked up the remains of dinner, Rin thanked him quietly. The door shut for a moment before she began perusing the information she had gathered from Caster and Berserker. Pieces were still impossible to decipher, written in a Gaelic tongue that didn’t translate well with the dictionary and set of grammar books she had asked Diarmuid to fetch. What little she had allowed him to translate had helped, but it had left Diarmuid asking too many questions. 

She moved to pull a shirt on, leaving the nightgown on the bed. Right now, she needed skin in case she needed to draw more runes. This was no time for being careful about appearances. She had been careful to not bump into anything or wear tight clothing other than her socks. 

Moving to the basement, Rin looked up at the clock. 

Six hours until two in the morning. 

Her work began with the most basic of things. She began her work with the books Prototype had been reading the night he had disappeared. Originally, her research had begun with Berserker’s reading, but it had become illegible. There were far too many runes adorning the texts and using them without knowledge about what they did would be a fool’s errand. 

So Prototype’s were her focus. 

He had been looking into familiars just as Berserker had. The books spoke about simple ones though. They were the kind of spirits one could summon up from the grave. The kind that did basic things here and there. 

They weren’t servants though and finding Cu Chulainn’s remains would be next to impossible. He had lived in ancient Ireland. There weren’t many tombstones lying around the countryside of any country that simply said “here lies a hero who died before we could keep meticulous records. Dig here for some bones.” 

He had lived long enough ago there probably wouldn’t have been bones to find anyway. 

Slowly, she began to paint along the floor, brushing back the books and pages that littered the floor. She pulled more pigments from the shelves, studying the illustrations in the books that were drawn in the margins. 

She slipped upstairs at midnight, stealthily moving into the kitchen to get a sponge and bucket for wiping a mistake off the floor. 

Diarmuid tapped her on the shoulder, holding up a bottle of cleaning product as she held the counter in her shock. 

“Water won’t get the pigment off well.” 

“…Thank you.” 

The man motioned her out, pulling out a bottle of water and heading back up the stairs. 

Once more in the basement, she continued, the pressure mounting as the clocked ticked its way to one in the morning. She repainted certain portions of the floor several times, studying the books again until her images reflected in the light like the books’ did. 

There was only one opportunity left for this. She had tried four times to no avail. 

“Damn it!” 

Her hand began to bleed as Rin pulled her hand away from a space near the desk. Looking underneath, she pulled out a knife from the kitchen. 

Why there would be a knife down here… 

Rin leaned back, staring at the wound. It was a deep cut. She probably should have checked more carefully around the furniture for anything sharp. 

Still, it hadn’t gotten onto the circle. She could still continue. 

Once more she found herself at a standstill. Rin flipped back through the information she had close at hand as she tried to think. Time was running out. With wanting a servant as a familiar, there had to be other similarities with the summoning, but Berserker had written in this impossible language. 

What’s more, he didn’t finish the damn details. 

The man had simply summoned Diarmuid and called it good. No notes, no details, no nothing. 

And her hand was still bleeding. 

Binding Cu Chulainn to this world with the elements she had gathered would be difficult with this rate of bleeding. She could use one hand, but there was still a chance that she would taint the materials. Her blood would get intermingled and that left a variety of issues that could arise. 

Not to mention, once she was done, she could have successfully poisoned herself with some of the materials. Pointless to summon a servant only to have them watch her die. 

The clock nearby struck two. 

Two am. 

Maybe…

Blood oriented magecraft was supposed to go wrong in a variety of ways, but normally servants had catalysts to help summon them. Something from their time. 

The symbols were from his time, but they were drawn recently and with pigments from the area. She needed something more. 

He and the others had worked on healing her person though. Perhaps there was something remaining from their efforts. If she bleed into the center, it could double for some of the elements she had gathered in the form of supplies. She could use the blood she was letting out as material. 

It wasn’t like she would have time to go get stitches or anything for the wound right now anyway. 

She stood in the center of the circle, carefully moving her hand over the center point so that the blood would drip there. 

Once. 

Twice. 

Three times. 

Four. 

The edges of the circle lit up first, a wind kicking up in the room. She dug her fingers in deeper as she continued to recite the chant, waiting. 

Books flipped pages outside the circle as she went on, sparks lit up around the edges of her space, threatening to set things ablaze. The walls, glowing in a bright golden color, grew brighter. The sparks died as soon as they left the circle. 

More magic, but not enough. 

Just as she went to dig her fingers in more, everything stopped. 

It was as though someone flipped a switch. 

There was no light, no wind, no nothing. The sound of the ticking clock on the edge of the room had stopped. The sound of the dripping sink in the corner of the room was quiet. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her racing heart. 

Perhaps she was dead. 

The pain had stopped. Her body felt so cold in the basement with no light or noise. She couldn’t smell anything or feel anything other than the chill. 

A pair of hands moved into her hair, a set of glowing red eyes looking up at her in the darkness. She couldn’t see anything other than the glowing ember color of those eyes. 

Lips pressed against hers and Rin hesitated. 

The fingers tightened in her hair, tilting her head so that mouth could invade more. Her body was thrown onto the stone floors, the shirt gone before she could remember that she had worn little else. As she tried to breathe, tried to speak, the figure’s mouth moved down her body. 

It was too cold in the room though. She couldn’t stop the anxiety that crawled along her skin. She had to be sure. She had to know it was him. 

But if it wasn’t…

She didn’t want to think about if it wasn’t. 

“Stop,” she breathed. 

Those eyes drifted up to hers, the mouth that had been against her own pressed firmly to her breast. Rather than responding, she felt a tongue lave at her. 

“Stop. Stop.” She pushed at the figure, only to find them gone. The mouth had moved away and those eyes had closed, leaving her without any kind of sight. 

This wasn’t good. She needed some kind of sight. The figure had to be somewhere. 

“ARCHER!” 

Silence met her yell. 

“DIARMUID!” 

Nothing. 

The sound of a bolt sliding into place in one direction had her freeze. A chill went down her veins as she tried to think. 

As it was, the room had one exit and there was a firm bolt that blocked the basement from the upstairs. She had been bleeding out for about a half hour to an hour. Already her body felt lightheaded and she no doubt needed to wrap up the injury. She couldn’t feel it, but that just meant that she might have caused serious damage. 

What was in the room though? 

A set of red eyes flashed, but when she tried to see where they had been, they were gone. 

Think, Rin. 

She had the desk nearby. There was a knife located on it. A foolish decision, but she hadn’t intended to have a situation like this. 

The knife would be a threat if the thing she had summoned was not-

Rin shut her eyes, focusing what little energy she had. The familiar feeling of a lance in hand made her relax, she shrunk towards the floor and waited. If nothing else, she could stab the beast and her servants upstairs would bust down the door. They would find her unconscious and take care of the wound she had. 

Something sild down the upper part of the lance, the sound of shuffling reached her ears as she swiped in the direction of the touch. 

Books toppled over. 

The books were on the deeper portion of the room, away from the door. 

Leaping towards the opposite direction, Rin stumbled, falling onto the floor and feeling ahead of her. The lance in her hands clattered before she felt two legs against hers. 

A hand lifted her back up to her feet, but she just fell again when she was let go. 

She could feel the being in front of her kneel down, a pair of hands pressing to her face. Was she hallucinating? Was this what hell was like? To think and dream of something, but know in your soul that it might not actually be there? 

“Cu Chulainn, if that’s you, you better say something.” 

The eyes opened back up, staring at her as the hands lowered to hers. She felt him lifting them up to his face, pressing them there so she could feel the smirk on his lips. 

In her mind’s eye, she could imagine it so clearly that she choked on a sob. 

Without hesitation, she shoved herself against him, wrapping her body around his tightly. It felt right. The arms that wrapped around hers seemed like his. The length of hair that went over one shoulder seemed right. When she felt herself being lifted up, she buried her face against his neck and felt the same chest she had felt for nights on end. 

“Master,” the hollowed voice breathed. 

She shut her eyes, sighing at the Celtic lilt to the simple word. Her grip on the man loosened, but only due to the great sense of relief that took over. 

He was here. She could feel him, touch him, take in the scent of earth and rain that seemed to cling to his being. Her face pressed against him as she let herself take him in. Take it all in. 

There was no doubt about it: she was a genius. She had figured out that cryptic mess that Caster and Berserker had left her. She had summoned the great Celtic hero as her familiar and this time she wouldn’t lose him, not even because of her own foolishness. Binding him with her blood had probably altered something, but that was something to look into another time. 

And she had time. 

She had so much time. 

There would be days of lying in bed. Days of fighting in the backyard or arguing in the house. Days of wandering to different places in and outside of Fuyuki. She’d drag him back to his homeland, if for no other reason than to see what he had seen and to see how it had changed. 

She had to study in London. London with two Celts would be funny. 

Perhaps it was a minute, two minutes. Rin felt herself shifted, a coat wrapping around her tight. The lights were on in the living room, giving her a view of-

Archer didn’t look down at her as he moved, carrying her up the stairs. 

“How bad?” 

“Cut hand, lot of blood in the basement, but she’s fine otherwise.” 

“I will get the bandages for you. Do you think she managed to-“

“You’ll see what she did soon enough. Let me get her into bed.” 

They moved without any further words. Rin finding herself in bed and the world fading to black again as Diarmuid entered. Her hand was wrapped carefully as the two men focused on the task at hand. 

Had she imagined it all? 

It had felt so real though. She had felt him and heard his voice. 

How…

Diarmuid’s voice drifted as the door opened. 

“Get some rest as well, Archer. I’ll take care of downstairs.” 

“Thank you.” 

The response came from closeby, a body climbing into bed before she found herself pulled in close. His head rested near hers, an arm draping across her waist. 

Once again, the world seemed to move without her recognition. She closed her eyes, letting the pain set in, and then she opened them, finding the world once more alight from the sun streaming through the windows. 

As she shifted slightly, Archer propped himself on one elbow, watching her. 

Rin cleared her throat, sitting up. “Let’s not discuss early this morning.” 

He raised a brow, expression still carefully blank. 

“There’s nothing that needs to be said. We agreed to one more attempt. I got my evening. The Mages Association will be sending someone over today to ask questions about Edelfelt. If you wouldn’t mind getting breakfast started, I should thank Diarmuid for cleaning what he did.” 

“As usual, you avoid the subject that needs to be discussed.” Archer stood up, running a hand through his hair. 

“There’s nothing that needs to be said.” 

“I doubt that, but if you insist on avoiding the topic, then so be it.” He leaned over, moving in close only for Rin to turn her face away. Her face reddened slightly. 

“Let’s- Let’s not do that… I can’t… I need to maintain my composure.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Anything close contact will have me lose my focus. I’d rather not have that either. Once I have finished with the Mages Association, we’ll probably need to wander out for shopping purposes.” 

Half the wardrobe would be bittersweet to see, too much at this time. Perhaps later, when she was at least out of the house filled with memories, she would be able to wear any of it again. 

“Rin.” 

“What is it?” 

The man leaned down, pressing his lips to hers with purpose. Even as she slapped him, he just laughed it off. “Stop overthinking. You’re in no position to be upset.” 

“Ah- I’m in no position?!” The reaction was instinctual, immediately hitting him repeatedly as the man tried to flee. She gave chase, following him out of the room and down the hallway. The mocking laugh leaving his lips helped nothing. 

“If you’re upset about the bed companion choice, I suppose Diarmuid could-“

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear a word from you about bed companions! Did I not say that I didn’t want to be touched!” 

He sprinted down the stairs, leaving her little choice but to stumble after him. She slammed against him as they reached the bottom stair, knocking him onto the floor before she began to continue. Over and over. He welcomed the hits by laughing them off, watching her mockingly. 

“So I’m better to sleep with than Diarmuid?” 

“SHUT UP!” 

“Geez, they’re lively this morning.” 

Rin froze. 

“Archer! At least put clothes on both of you.” 

“I don’t know, Dia. I think it’s kinda nice to watch Rin’s breasts bounce like that. She’s gotten a bit bigger in size.” Cu Chulainn leaned back, the dress shirt he had on unbuttoned as he watched her straddle Archer. “Definitely a bit thinner though. Barely will have anything to grab soon.” 

“At least toss her your damn shirt since you can’t seem to put it on,” Diarmuid complained. 

“Lancer… but… Last night…” Rin just stared at him as Archer groaned. 

“You thought you didn’t manage it? As usual, I find myself questioning whether or not you’re truly my master-“

She smacked him, scowling at his remark. It wasn’t like she had been fully functional last night. With trying to summon Cu Chulainn with all her energy and staying up so late despite her body wanting to rest, it made a great deal of sense that she hadn’t realized. 

How had she gotten into Archer’s arms last night? Why hadn’t Cu Chulainn just climbed into bed with her last night? Why hadn’t-

But she had stabbed him. 

She paused, just in front of him, hesitating as the man sat casually. Those bright eyes just looked straight up at hers, drifting lower slowly. 

“Of all things,” Diarmuid stood up, pulling his jacket off and wrapping it around her. With a finality to the zip, he herded her to his seat and headed towards the kitchen. “At least talk to one another. I’ll grab another cup for Rin.” 

“They’re stored high,” Archer warned, following after him. 

“Come in here and I’m cursing you,” Diarmuid replied. 

They just watched the two leave the room, waiting quietly for their return. When they didn’t immediately come back, Rin bit her lip. 

Summoning had been the simple part. She had dragged herself through an emotional gauntlet, driven Lancer to a pedestal in her mind that no one could take. Foolishly, she had focused to a point where there was nothing else. She had to get him back. Free him. 

But she had stabbed him. She had assumed. In the end, she had been no better than any of the other masters that Lancer had served under in the past. 

“You know they aren’t comin’ back in here until we’ve talked, right?” 

“It would seem that way.” She could have used a damn cup of tea and some caffeine in order to begin this conversation though. Sighing, she shut her eyes a moment, trying to find the words. 

“How’s life?” 

Rin just stared at him, frowning. “What do you mean?” 

“I’ve been gone, what? A month? Two?” He looked around. “The place is clean. You seem stronger. I assume a lot has changed since I left.” 

Why did he have to say it in such a blasé kind of way? 

“Nothing’s changed.” Rin crossed her arms. “You’ve been gone two, maybe three weeks. I wouldn’t know. I’ve been trying to summon you back during that time.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Yes. And it hasn’t been easy either. Your counterparts left the most illegible, cryptic writing I have ever seen. I swear, Caster had no idea how to write things outside of riddles. Do you know how hard it is to find Celtic mythology information in Japan? Good stuff, not the strange tree hugging nonsense that I kept finding. I had to have Diarmuid explain how to use a damn computer and that made things worse.” 

She didn’t let him speak up, holding up a hand. 

“I don’t know anything about the technology these days and got the computer sick or whatever it is at least a half dozen times. Which slowed everything down because Archer is incapable of fixing anything without giving a nice collection of comments about my capabilities or competence. And then- when I figured out one riddle, lo and behold there was another.” 

He went to speak up again and Rin spoke over him. 

“And Berserker, let me tell you how that man writes, or rather- carves. I swear, he writes over his own writing just for fun and it’s still in that damn impossible dialect of Gaelic. I bought a handful of dictionaries to translate it over and it still didn’t make any sense. Diarmuid couldn’t read it either and why does nothing in Gaelic sound like how it’s spelled? Nothing.” 

Seeing the smirk on his face grow, she just went right on. Everything had changed, her ass. Things were still the damn same. 

“Caster and Berserker were the only problems though?” 

“Don’t get me started on Prototype and his sense of putting things away!” Rin moved a bit closer, crossing her legs under her as she went. “So, Caster and Berserker wrote in all the books, but Prototype moved things around. Archer found a pair of my panties in the room he had chosen for himself. I found a handful of different supplies and things throughout other parts of the house. I cut myself in the basement on a knife and I know for a fact that none of you would have let Berserker down there with a weapon. Which meant Proto probably left it there.” 

“Terrible.” 

“I’ve been up to my waist in dealing with what you all left behind.” 

“Thank goodness you only summoned me this time.” 

“You think that’s fine? You left me in the middle of the night to go die somewhere and become just Berserker. No notice about what he was planning or a heads up about what was going on. Just sent me to bed and disappeared!” 

He shrugged, earning a growl. 

“Don’t just shrug it off! We are supposed to be a damn team! Team! As in you and I talk things out and plan for how to deal with things!” 

“I’m not much of a planner-“

“Yeah, that’s ending now.” Rin crossed her arms, huffing. “All over. We plan things and we proceed carefully.” 

“Did things not work out in the end?” 

“NO! THEY DID NOT!” 

In an instant, he was before her, knocking her off balance with the sudden change. His hand went to her back, stopping her from toppling backwards as his face came close to hers. He caught one of her hands in his and pulled her closer to himself. 

Those red eyes just flashed, silencing the complaints. 

“Ah, you haven’t changed a bit. I rather liked watching you when I was first summoned. You were so torn between running into my arms or killing me again.” His forehead pressed against hers, eyes closing for just a moment. “I knew fighting myself over being closest to you was useless so I decided to leave all my power and essence with you. Did you think you got talented with a lance overnight out of sheer adrenaline?” 

“I-“

“Shhh, let me whine a bit too…” He paused, humming a bit as he pulled back. “Well… I probably should have told you what the plan was, but to be fair I hadn’t really thought things through.” 

She hit him. “You dumbass!” 

“I am.” 

“Absolute moron!” 

“Probably.” 

“Jackass!” 

“Not sure the meaning of that one, but I’m probably one of those too.” 

“Jerk!” 

“Not very original at this point, are ya?” 

She hit him again, falling onto the floor after a few minutes on top of him. His hands went to the jacket, unzipping it as she roared at him. 

“LANCER!” 

“I liked Cu Chulainn,” he argued, hands wrapping around her breasts. He kneaded them lightly, thumbs going over her nipples. 

“Don’t you dare think I’m going to just jump your bones on my living room floor because you found my breasts. I’m still mad at you!” 

“I like you mad,” he replied easily, taking his time to knead her chest. “You get flushed with color and you’re honest with me.” 

“I am always honest.” She leaned over him more, hair blocking them off from the rest of the room. “I have always been honest with you.” 

He tilted his head, gaze narrowing playfully before he released his hold of her. Those arms pulled her in, lips finding hers. Their bodies rolled over, the destructive need arising between them. She needed this. She needed him and damn it, didn’t that just piss her off all the more. 

It was his fault. All his fault. 

“Getting all sentimental about me,” Cu Chulainn just laughed a little, moving a hand down her chest. “Neglecting yourself for me, I can’t think of anything more foolish.” 

“Don’t you dare lecture me,” she growled. 

“I ain’t lecturing, Rin. I’m enjoying it.” His lips sealed against hers for a moment again before he pulled back, grinning so proudly his fangs stuck out. “I ain’t gonna stop you from wanting me. I’m a selfish bastard like that. I’m under your skin and I’m there to stay.” 

“Great.” The way she replied sounded more like sulking than anything, but he just pressed his lips to hers again and she sighed. 

“Since I’m here to stay, I do have a few requests.” 

“Requests?” 

He pulled back, nodding as he crossed his arms. “Well, it’s just that you didn’t summon me quite right. I’ve been thinking about it with the other two and I think I might not be connected to your mana as well as I should be.” 

“Ah… Not connected?” Rin blinked, sitting up as well. “Are you sure it’s not from there being four of you before?” 

“Along with that, I would like to request that you are naked far more often.” 

“Absolutely not!” 

“You’re not minding it right now.” 

She tugged the jacket back on, hissing as he slipped a hand in her way of zipping it up. Their gazes met, his smile flashing. 

“Come on, Rin. Live a little.” 

“I live just fine!” 

A loud banging interrupted the argument, sending her skittering away from Cu Chulainn for a moment. She zipped up the jacket immediately, taking a couple steps towards the kitchen. 

“Hold on.” 

Cu Chulainn held her back, watching the door intently. “Those two could be doing anything in there.” 

“If one of them got hurt-“

“I vote we leave ‘em.” 

“We’re not going to just leave them in there if they’re injured!” 

“We go out, get something for you to eat. They’ll heal themselves.” 

“Cu Chulainn!” 

A moan interrupted her argument. Her hands gripped Cu Chulainn’s open shirt, her body curling up against his as she stared at the door. 

They were… Well…

“Come on, little master of mine,” Cu Chulainn murmured. “Let’s leave ‘em. They’re busy.” 

“Was that Archer…”

“Shhhh, they’ll know we know.” He pulled her into his arms, heading towards the stairs. When he got there, he set her on the first step. “You have two minutes. Get dressed and get back here to me. We’ll slip out and get somethin’ nice to eat.” 

She hesitated, looking between him and the kitchen. She should honestly check on Archer and Diarmuid. It was only appropriate. The sound originally heard had been quite loud and someone could be hurt. 

However, did she want to see them initiating intimate relations? 

“One and a half now,” Cu Chulainn murmured. 

“We’re not getting fish.” 

“Don’t break an old man’s heart, Rin.” 

“You’re not old.” 

He hummed, earning an eyeroll as Rin hurried up the stairs. It took only a moment to throw on a set of clothes and return, but by then, Cu Chulainn had managed to find himself a coat and button up his shirt. Rin watched him wait for her to get her coat on, her hands pausing on the scarf before she tugged it off and motioned him closer. 

“What is it?” 

“Bend over.” 

“Now, Rin. I don’t really receive like that. I’m more of a dominant-“

She smacked him, yanking him down by his hair before she wrapped the scarf around his neck and tied it into place. 

The lower half of his face dipped beneath the material as he pushed her through the door and they headed down the road. A cooler breeze drifted through the area as they walked, Rin’s arm wrapping around his. 

“It’s good to have you back.” 

“Good to be back.” 

Rin looked up at him, smiling a little as she nodded, a spring returning to her step as she began to direct them through the city streets. “Well, since you’re back, I’ll gladly ensure that your mana is being received properly. However, your other request will only be done in parts. I’m not going to excuse myself from behaving in a mature and elegant manner just because you want a romp in the sheets.” 

“A romp in the sheets?” Cu Chulainn laughed, “What if I just wanted to admire the physique of a young woman?” 

“Shut up.” 

The man’s face appeared in front of hers and she yanked him closer before he could say something else that would embarrass her. Pressing her lips to his, she quickly found herself lost. It felt good, great even, being back in these arms. She didn’t hold back at this point, enjoying his return with the best of her ability. 

“Tohsaka!” 

Rin looked over in the direction of Shirou’s voice, waving just as something slipped just beneath her skirts. She slapped the man immediately, pulling her skirts back into place. “Damn it, Cu!” 

“I’ve been fighting the whole time you were waiting to summon me, Rin. Give me a break.” 

“I gave you leniency earlier!” 

“Lancer,” Saber called towards them. 

The man looked over at Shirou and Saber, grinning a little as he tugged Rin closer. “Saber! Rin and I were just heading into the city.” 

“It’s good to see you again.” Saber smiled at him. “You’ve been missed.” 

“Huh?” Cu Chulainn snickered, that damn hand snaking its way downwards as Rin grabbed it. “As nice as that is, I don’t think Shirou can take me stealing two women away from him.” 

“You didn’t steal Rin.” 

“I wasn’t talking about myself!” 

The two looked at one another, blushing profusely as Rin laughed lightly. 

“Very cute, but we’re heading into the city. Did you both want to join?” 

“We were coming to check on you,” Saber told her. “If you don’t mind the company, we can join. Although, I did want to work with Diarmuid on things again. I can’t get my computer to work.” 

“I can help you,” Rin offered. 

Lancer snorted. “Didn’t you just complain about Diarmuid and his stupid computers this morning?” 

“I was complaining about his explanations.” 

Chuckling, he looked over at Saber and Shirou only when his chin rested on her shoulder. “I think you might want to visit now, Saber. Diarmuid and Archer aren’t busy with anything.” 

“Ah-“

He covered her mouth, going on. “I think they were expecting company later on in the day so now would be the best time. Archer made breakfast.” 

“Shirou!” Saber was gone. There was nothing Shirou could do but follow as the woman hurried past them. Cu Chulainn slipped her key away from her pocket before tossing it to Shirou. 

“Let yourselves in!” 

“Thanks,” Shirou gave a wave and hurried after Saber, disappearing instantly. 

“That was horrible! You know they’re going to walk in on-“

“I do, but it’ll be only that much funnier.” Cu Chulainn’s arms draped over her shoulders as he stood up slightly. His head went to her head. A light kiss found its way there. “It’ll be damn funny.” 

“They’re going to hate you.” 

“Yeah, they will.” 

“You’re going to get an earful when we get home.” 

“I will. That’s true.” 

Rin looked up towards him and the heavens, sighing. “I suppose that’s what I should expect, falling for a servant.” 

“Oi, Rin.” 

“What is it?” 

“I’ll have you know I love you.” 

She just stared at him, unable to respond. Had he… but… 

Her jaw was probably on the ground with the sudden statement. He had never said it before. Never even hinted towards it other than the constant touching and actions. But then, he’d told her that he spoke through his actions. She’d always just read into those instead. 

But…

“What?” He smirked. “Didn’t think I’d say it? Did you not remember the agreement?” 

“Agreement?” 

The laugh he let out was different, more carefree than any of the others he had done before. The look on his face was different as well. There was something deeper when he looked at her, something that made her heart stutter stupidly. 

Those hands of his just forced her to look up at him. 

“I told you that I’d tell you all the thoughts and feelings in my head if you could hold my hand in public and kiss me even in front of Archer and Shirou.” 

There was no doubt about it, she needed a hospital. Her heart shouldn’t have kicked into overtime at that expression. She turned immediately, clearing her throat as she tried to pull herself back together. There was no reason for this behavior. She was a Tohsaka. Confidence and elegance. 

She straightened her spine, pumping herself up for walking the rest of the way into the city. Just as she went to take a step, the man pulled her back, shaking his head as she looked back at him. 

“That’s it? The great Rin Tohsaka can’t reply to someone telling her that they love her?” 

“Oh? Did you want a reply?” Rin crossed her arms. “I wasn’t aware that love confessions required responses. An old man I told seemed to find it fine to hold off his response until after he died and came back to life.” 

“So you admit I’m old.” 

“Shut up,” she punched him, earning another laugh. “And stop laughing at me. I swear, every other time I turn around, you’re laughing at me again.” 

“I find you funny, which is good.” 

“Uh huh.” 

“It is. Since you decided to bind us together for eternity, I better find you funny.” 

“What?” 

Cu Chulainn held out his hand, showing the mark on his palm. 

Rin just stared at it. 

“When your hand heals, it’ll probably look the same.” 

“What’s the mark mean?” 

“It’s a bind rune. I haven’t seen one in a long time.” 

There was a wistfulness to the way he said that. Rin pulled the bandages carefully from her hand and frowned, finding the same mark there. Its jagged edges made it look more like a scar than a deliberate spell. It felt warm to the touch too. 

“Cu Chulainn,” Rin looked up at him. “What does it do?” 

“Welcome to the servant collection, Rin. You’ve successfully bound yourself to me which means when you die, I die and we’re going to the same eternity.” 

Eternity with Cu Chulainn, huh? 

“I guess I better become someone important than.” Rin smirked up at him, wrapping her marked hand around his. “Let’s get breakfast and get started. I plan to be the strongest caster in the summoning pool.” 

“I’m going to laugh when you end up being an archer.” 

Rin rolled her eyes, “I can’t shoot a bow, Cu. There’s no possibility of that.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to read this story. I was excited when I began the process of writing this and, as I've posted, I've found that my opinion on where the story went differed. As many writers often find, I found myself highly tempted to rewrite scenes, consider certain character deaths and different plot twists and turns. But in the end, I felt it best to post this story as it was originally written. I think it stands as it is quite well and I think we can all enjoy Cu Chulainn and Rin for the duo that they are. 
> 
> Please look forward to other Cu Chulainn and Rin stories in the future. They're a particular favorite pairing of mine and they play off one another quite well.


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